


Without Fail

by Succession_of_Busy_Nothings



Series: Without Fail [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Disabled Character, Canon Era, Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Violence, During Canon, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Romantic Fluff, Season/Series 07
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 27,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28373766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Succession_of_Busy_Nothings/pseuds/Succession_of_Busy_Nothings
Summary: Daniel will help Daisy every time, without fail. A look back - and forward, and between the lines - at their love story, through their eyes.
Relationships: Skye | Daisy Johnson & Daniel Sousa, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Series: Without Fail [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2112435
Comments: 236
Kudos: 194





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am not the first the pass this way, nor am I the last (I hope). This is my humble entry into the world of dousy/Timequake fic that gives us more of the tantalizing beginning of their tale. This story takes place at least through Season 7, and hopefully beyond.
> 
> Thank you to royalmilktea for being an awesome beta!

It would have been easy to blame Steve Rogers. Not even Captain America. Just another soldier who promised his best girl a dance and then never came home from the war. He'd known others who didn't measure up to a fate-tinged memory of what might have been. Or who were too haunted by telegrams to risk their hearts or hopes again. 

It had been tempting to blame himself. To think he'd done something wrong. To imagine if he'd been less protective, more adventurous, said or done something differently - then he wouldn't have lost her.

It never crossed his mind to blame Peggy. At least, not the second time they parted ways.

No. He had, at some point he didn't quite notice, accepted that Agent Daniel Sousa and Peggy Carter - Agent, Director, or otherwise - simply were not right for each other. She pushed: herself, her partners, and eventually the teams she led. And she got the best out of all of them. But it wasn't what he wanted in his love life. And what he had to offer to someone - well, that didn't quite work for Peggy, either. He always seemed to get in her way, when all he wanted to give was his support. That used to baffle him. Not anymore.

"Thank you," he said to the bartender with a nod as he took the whiskey and rye.

_Now, I'm just damn curious what she asked me here for._

Daniel turned to his erstwhile lover, dear friend, and exacting director, and raised his glass in greeting as she situated herself in front of the martini he'd ordered before she arrived. Peggy returned the gesture, and he studied her for any sign of which version of her had invited him here. Friend or boss? 

Her poker face offered no clues. Neither did the venue. A bar might suggest pleasure over business. But she'd picked the only bar in New York City protected by password and staffed by servers with security clearances.

After a pause he suspected was just for dramatic effect, she launched into an explanation. "The west coast will be branching off as its own division. I'd like you to oversee security for the transition. And for the division."

"Huh." It was an acknowledgment, not a question.

"Was there an answer tucked into that monosyllable?"

As Daniel had climbed the ladder at SSR and then S.H.I.E.L.D., he'd seen progressively more of his desk and less of the field. He believed in the mission, and he appreciated the chance to keep that mission on track as top brass. It seemed like a wise shift. But seeing Peggy brought a poignant wave of nostalgia for their time together in the field.

"Can I take some time to think it over?" He asked after a long pull on his drink.

"Of course. Just don't keep a lady waiting too long. It's impolite." She smiled, her tone sharp, but without sting.

"I'll be the model gentleman," Daniel promised.

The conversation relaxed from business as they enjoyed each other's company and caught up on the (rather meager) goings on in their personal lives, and regaled each other with stories of their (more prolific) cases. The offer hung in the air, waiting for Daniel's choice.

***

The pieces clicked into place as she listened to Jemma explain the time drive. She should be caught in a whirlpool of her own emotions - Coulson, dead but returned; May, dead, but returning; Jemma here but Fitz gone. Her family fractured and reformed around her, again, tugging at her worst fears that she will always lose the ones she loves. She should be a breath away from inconsolable.

And yet, as Jemma sidestepped admitting how long it had taken to turn the Zephyr into a time machine, Daisy could only find room in her heart for her friend. Jemma had been separated from the team for… Months? Years?... only to lose Fitz now that she'd come back. More than empathy, Daisy was struck with pride and admiration for Jemma's strength.

Daisy stepped into hug her friend. "Welcome back," she said simply. Jemma pressed her cheek into Daisy's. The healing touch relaxed a piece of Daisy's heart that she'd held in voluntary paralysis. Jemma could remake Coulson and knit May back together while missing Fitz, and she could build a time machine while missing the team. If Jemma could live and love through the fear, maybe Daisy could, too.

Jemma clung just a little tighter to Daisy's arms, hitched in a deep breath, then broke the hug. Daisy searched her eyes, and saw a shadow of strain creeping in. She held Jemma's gaze for a moment of silent support, until Jemma nodded.

"Ok let's work the problem. What now?" Daisy declared more than asked, clapping her hands together.

"Track the Chronicoms."

"Copy that." Daisy turned to a console and got to work.

If, at some time in 1931, it occurred to Daisy that she might even have room in her heart for romance again, it barely seemed important enough to register as a conscious thought. She had a family to protect, and a mission that mattered. That was more than enough for her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy :)

Daniel collapsed backward in his chair, stunned at the implications of one flimsy scrap of paper. 

It had been misfiled. Discovered on an entirely unrelated case in the box of effects belonging to an unrelated asset. Unsigned. Handwriting analysis would likely prove inconclusive. The note was vaguely worded, lacking context, and barely one sentence long.

And yet it was dated after the Red Skull's death, and addressed to a known alias S.H.I.E.L.D.'s favorite defector, Dr. Arnim Zola.

 _How many heads have grown?_

If any "heads" of Hydra grew after the war to rear up against S.H.I.E.L.D. - _within_ S.H.I.E.L.D. …

Well, if nothing else, Daniel felt grateful. If there was anything to uncover here, then he would at least know that the sacrifices he'd made to head up security for the west coast division were worth it. What was the adrenaline rush of a fight compared to stopping Hydra? So what if he might have missed a chance to meet the right woman while he was chained to late nights at his desk, if families the world over could be kept safe from Hydra? If he hadn't been here to see the contents of this box, maybe nobody else ever would have.

Daniel shook his head to clear romantic notions of fate, and leaned forward to study the note again. He would have to be extraordinarily careful about how to proceed. A thorough, independent investigation. No word to anyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. If Zola had been working for Hydra all these years, there was no telling where he had eyes and ears. There was no guarantee he could even alert Peggy safely.

With a grim determination, Sousa mentally outlined his next steps, thinking only of the mission. If this thing he'd stumbled into helped prove to himself that he'd taken the right path - well, he wouldn't object.

****

Details and debates swirled around in Daisy's head. She argued with Deke over the morality of killing someone early in their timeline to prevent the deaths they caused later, the irony lost on neither of them. How many Hydra agents were already in S.H.I.E.L.D. here in 1955? Were any at Area 51, among the personnel files splayed out between them as they panned for likely Chronicom targets? Nobody here knew Hydra even survived WWII. Nobody was looking for their tentacles winding through the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nobody would until it was too late. If they could take Wilfred Malick out now, it would never be too late.

But Deke's rebuke - that he wasn't the man he'd been in the future when she was the danger from the past - that stung. More so, even, than when Mack chastised her for playing into the Chronicoms' goals. 

Maybe doing the right thing here and now mattered more than preventing the most harm in the future. Maybe. But it was hard to let go of a chance to take out Malick before… everything.

One face in the pile of files broke her reverie. He looked as annoyed as she felt. Except…

"Daniel Sousa," she read aloud, troubled.

"Who's that?" Deke asked. He hadn't heard as many of Coulson's fanboy lectures on the golden days of S.H.I.E.L.D history.

"He's Peggy Carter's old partner," she replied. He'd make Jemma as soon as he saw her. "Shit." She paused, evaluating Sousa's skills. "I have to go in after them."

Daisy leafed through the file, considering a possible approach. Based on his accomplishments, he was highly skilled and highly experienced. She wouldn't be able to get around or through him alone, not on short notice. 

He jumped straight from the army to the SSR to S.H.I.E.L.D. Single. Married to the job, then. _Shame for a handsome face like that to go to waste, though._ No personal connections to exploit as a distraction. 

Daisy exhaled, digging for ideas. He'd been partner to the woman who broke the glass ceiling at the SSR when it had still been made of concrete. So he shouldn't balk at a woman in a position of authority, but he might know too many of the major players for her to pass as contemporary S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Deke, I'm going to need CIA credentials. And some kind of 1950's spy gadget he can catch me using."

 _You seen like a good man, Chief Sousa. Sorry to ruin your day._ Daisy mentally apologized. _Fate of humanity and all that. I'm sure you understand._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters get longer eventually, I promise. Sorry Daisy and Daniel haven't met yet!
> 
> I've completed writing through Season 7, so there is already a complete story waiting for you. I'm trying to take a stab at post-canon times, too, which is a little intimidating for me as a writer. So to motivate myself, I'll post a new chapter here every time I complete one at the back end.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for beta reading, royalmilktea!

Damn shame they hadn't managed to hold on to all three of these intruders after the attack on Helios. Daniel wanted to rip into the phony Brit for impersonating Peggy - or perhaps give her a call and watch her do it for herself. 

Miss "my initials are C, I, and A" was another story. He could see past the dazzle of her banter and dark eyes now. Her bluff to stop him from checking her cover, the way she avoided discussing details from his report (which she obviously hadn't read). He'd been sloppy to miss the tells. Somehow, though, he still believed she was genuine.

So the three of them turned out to be in this together. But they also seemed to be working at cross-purposes to the people who actually tried to sabotage Helios.

Something didn't add up. And the man they _had_ snagged - he'd have to be the one to do the math. And fast, before the package for Stark could elude him.

****

Daisy had never really considered the possibility that someone in S.H.I.E.L.D. had discovered Hydra in their midst prior to Project Insight. Even when Sousa had first stunned her with news of his report to the CIA, he hadn't tipped his hand by naming Hydra. But here he was, sitting next to her in 1955, with the knowledge, the skills, and the connections to take down Hydra here and now. Decades before they could wreak havoc in her time. Exactly what she'd been so desperate to do since 1931.

But he had failed. Would fail. And her time would turn out the same. Hydra was, apparently, dug in too deep right from the beginning for one man - one team, one bullet, one order from a driven agent - to stop them now.

"Hydra took a lot of good people from me." Daisy heard her own loss and determination in his words: the desire to stop them at any cost, to prevent them from taking even one more life, one more inch of power. "This is a fight I'll wage alone if I have to." Just like how she tried to make the call to take out Malick alone. "I'd give my life for it."

It was one thing to read about someone's death as a historical fact. Even walking among people who had died before she'd be born didn't faze Daisy. But to watch a living man declare he'd walk eagerly into the certain death that he didn't know was waiting for him? She sunk inside as he spoke.

Daniel Sousa wasn't a photo attached to a file. He was a real person, with a sardonic twist to his smile and kind eyes. She'd seen him at work - hoodwinked him, yes, but also fought to save his life. Sat with him right here as he processed being brought in by an off-the-books agency with off-the-books resources that tap danced all over his mission. He was S.H.I.E.L.D., like her, working alongside her team here and now. Knowing his death was one rendezvous away was hard to stomach.

Daisy rose from her seat and crossed the hangar to give herself a moment to consider her next words carefully. Sousa followed, and she turned back to him.

"I had a front row seat to see Hydra do their worst. I'd die to take them down, too." She locked eyes with him, and blinked back the tears that almost formed in hers. "If you don't get them, Chief Sousa, we will. Taking Malick down now won't be enough. I didn't see that myself, either, when we first ID'd him. But I do see it now. One of us will deal with Hydra. I promise." She hoped against hope that there was a way out of his fate, but she could at least offer him this much.

He held her gaze. He seemed to search for something there. Daisy hoped she'd measure up. 

"Thank you," he said with a nod.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! And continued thanks to royalmilktea for the wonderful beta reading.

"So how'd you pull the short straw?" Daniel asked the woman he now knew as Agent Johnson as she showed him to the kitchen onboard their plane.

"What?"

"It means - "

"No, I know what that means," she threw up a hand and interrupted. "It's just - you're kidding, right? Coulson didn't give you his 'first fallen warrior inspiring generations of agents' speech?" 

Daniel responded with a short shake of his head. Details like the news of his own death - and their arrival nearly two decades in his future - were starting to take their toll on his ability to form coherent sentences. He hoped he could count on Agent Johnson to do most of the talking. Listening to her voice was a welcome distraction from… everything. She turned away to rummage in the refrigerator, but she did continue talking.

"Coulson is kind of a S.H.I.E.L.D. history nerd. When he said he was a fan back at Area 51, he meant it. You, Director Carter, Howard Stark, any major players, base, event, or tech - all those stories, he eats them up." Under her breath, she added, "Probably has perfect recall of everything now that he's an LMD, too."

"He's a what?" 

Agent Johnson turned from the refrigerator with an unidentifiable container and replied, "Ah, life model decoy. There's probably no good time to tell you that Coulson is basically a robot duplicate of the human Coulson that died. Sorry." 

Her apologetic smile took a little sting out of the shock. _Can I even think I'm shocked by any of this now?_

She turned away again and put the container in a contraption sporting a panel of buttons. "Anyway, I'm surprised he didn't beat me off with a stick when I offered to get you settled." He was pleased to find that she'd offered. That helped with the shock, too.

She pressed a glass of water into his hands, and he decided to try to steer the conversation back to more familiar ground - piece together the few things that made sense. "You told me you've seen Hydra do its worst. I'm guessing you weren't talking about the war." He sighed. "So, I failed in 1955, and they survived until your time." 

Daniel started to root through the drawers and cabinets for plates and utensils. He didn't want to press Agent Johnson for anything personal. But he needed to know the consequences of his failure. 

"What did they - did S.H.I.E.L.D manage to stop them?"

"Yes. And no." The corners of her mouth turned down, almost imperceptibly.

The contraption beeped and Daniel took over the meal preparations, such as they were, to give Agent Johnson a chance to gather herself and consider her response. In a few moments, they were seated at a metal table with generous plates of ravioli and a bowl of fresh fruit.

"They stayed undercover for years. A few years ago, their agents all turned on S.H.I.E.L.D. at once. They tried to take us down from the inside, and launched a global attack on civilian targets. They did," she paused, "a lot of damage with the first. Some of us made it through to the other side to rebuild." In a lighter tone, relaxing a little, she continued, "Captain America stopped the other thing."

"Cap - " She looked at him like she was revealing uplifting news. He grimaced and set down his fork. "Captain America," he finished, somewhat grudgingly.

"Yeah." She squinted, seeming puzzled by his reaction. He tried not to feel smug about confusing her, instead of the other way around. He mostly succeeded. It felt ungentlemanly.

"You actually mean Steve Rogers, don't you? Not a robot double, or a new super soldier honoring his memory, or a clone or whatever else you people have in your time. But the real deal."

Agent Johnson launched into the third or fourth most unbelievable thing he'd heard for the day - he was losing count - explaining how Steve Rogers survived in the ice for decades and lived out there today as a man out of time. 

_Maybe he can give me some pointers._

"Maybe he can give you some pointers on adjusting to modern life," she echoed his thoughts. He couldn't stop himself from smiling at that, but covered it quickly with a cough.

"Wait, you know him?" Daniel asked, surprised. He looked down at his plate to guard his expression. It was one thing to forgive a dead soldier for holding an ex-girlfriend's heart. But it would be just his luck that the most captivating woman he'd met since Peggy Carter might also know a living Steve Rogers. Even though she was from the future. 

"No, actually, he fell out with S.H.I.E.L.D after… You know what? Never mind." She shook her head with a wry smile, then looked down at her plate. Daniel caught that she was also hiding her expression. "There was more. With Hydra. But they were stopped. Except for that time they actually tried to save the world. Not really their strong suit. So it's over. For now." Daniel caught that she omitted _who_ stopped Hydra. He recognized that pain without needing to see her expression. When she looked at him again, she wore the same smile as before. "Well not now now. Future now." She shrugged and studied the ravioli on her fork. "Time travel. You never quite get used to it."

"I'm sure," he muttered. 

"I'm sorry." Agent Johnson pushed her plate to the side and leaned towards him. "You will get used to it. I was freaking out on my first day on the plane. And that was before we even had one that travels in time. You're still taking it all in. How are you really doing?"

Before Daniel could consider how to respond, someone else burst into the room.

"Mission briefing at 08:30, Daisy. Mack says you're welcome, too, Agent Sousa. Ooooh is that the rest of the ravioli? I'm starving." Agent Shaw plopped himself down next to Daisy, commandeering her discarded plate.

****

Daisy was grateful that Deke had interrupted. Sousa seemed to want to listen more than talk. She was happy to oblige, and he was easy to talk to. But it was difficult to know what might help him acclimate and what might push him over the edge. 

_Seriously, who gets pissed about Captain America being alive? Are they old Boy Scout rivals? Were Boy Scouts even a thing when they were kids?_

Deke, however, had managed to fill the air with meaningless gab without an ounce of self-consciousness. And Sousa took it all in stride. Like everything else. It was remarkable, really. _He_ was remarkable.

_Sure could've used that stoic attitude with us in 2091._

But they were alone again now as she showed him to a spare bunk. From the small assortment of S.H.I.E.L.D. sweats and medical care supplies (presumably for his leg) laid out on the bed, Jemma had already been and gone. The Zephyr wasn't exactly small, but Daisy wondered if the rest of the team had agreed to stay out of Sousa's way for the evening - give him some space to adjust.

_Right. Five minutes of conversation with anyone around here and all you hear about is robot duplicates and reanimated superheroes. Cowards._

"You can bunk here," Daisy hesitated briefly, "while you're onboard." Mack hadn't covered what would happen after Operation Pull Sousa Out of Time. There hadn't been time. She was sure Mack didn't intend to kick him off Z1 at the earliest opportunity. And Sousa seemed like the type to see a mission through to the end. But it wouldn't surprise her for anyone in his shoes to want off this particular ride.

"Thanks." 

He brushed past her to enter the cabin. She felt a brief impression of solid warmth through the layers of his suit, and she cleared her throat to shake it off. She leaned safely against the door frame while she pointed to various and sundry necessities in the cabin.

"And if there's anything else you need, coms are there." She indicated a panel by the bed where he was sitting.

"Look, uhh - " He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I'm sorry I ran off while you folks were obviously plotting a daring rescue op." 

He looked up at her, eyes full of winsome remorse. _Oof. Puppies have nothing on this man._

She almost laughed. "I'd've done the same in your shoes." She released the door frame and straightened up. "Anyway. Time jumps are a doozy. So are ICERs. Get some rest, and buzz if you need anything." 

Daisy tapped the door frame and retreated down the hallway without a glance back. So, there was an attractive new man on board. No big deal. Attraction wasn't the same as feelings. She could handle it. He might not even stay, after all, and then there wouldn't be anything to handle.

Daisy didn't find that thought as comforting as she'd hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: oblique reference to sexual harassment (ie, the scene with Gideon Malick).

"I'd usually prefer a tailor, but I know we're on the clock," Daniel said as they approached Ziff's Clothing and Fine Apparel.

Agent Johnson peered at him beneath a raised eyebrow. He smiled back, pleased she didn't seem to know if he was joking or not. 

"You were always old-fashioned, weren't you? Even in…" 

"Even _in_ , I just appreciated common decency. And clothes that don't rub on a long stakeout," he defended himself.

"So, old-fashioned and practical, then," she retorted, while holding the door to the shop for him with an exaggerated flourish. "You are _such_ a square."

He fixed her with a hard, grumpy gaze as he passed her and entered the store. To his surprise, she followed him inside. _Ah._ It was difficult to tell as he took in the loud fabrics and unfamiliar cuts, but the shop did seem to cater to both of them.

It was awkward, for all that he'd once wished that he and Peggy would be able to work in the field together without gender roles getting in their way. But buying clothes with Agent Johnson felt distractingly intimate. He wandered in the opposite direction of the skirts without a word.

After several minutes, Daniel had failed to find anything that looked practical or… normal. 

"Nothing old fashioned and practical enough for you?" Agent Johnson appeared at his shoulder. He would note her talent for stealth, but he already knew she was skilled, and he had been deliberately ignoring her.

He frowned and shot her a sideways glare.

"Well these pants," she indicated the small pile of clothing draped over her arm, "are much more practical than the dress I had to wear to blend in in your time. It's the '70s, man, now it's your turn to blend."

"Blending in. Got it," he replied, sighing.

"Here, start with…" she trailed off as she eyed him over with a direct gaze. Her attention shifted to the clothing for sale around them. She plucked something off a rack and held it near his waist to gauge the length. "This. And you should be able to find a _practical_ enough button down on the back wall." She held out the pants. "I'm going to check out and change. Meet you outside."

Daniel forced himself to tear his eyes away from her retreat. He inspected the pants she'd pressed at him. They seemed… large. Were they made for men, or elephants?

***

Last night, helping Sousa adjust to his new surroundings had felt like a small privilege.

This afternoon, working alongside him had been fun. They had an easy camaraderie, and she'd appreciated having a partner. Daisy wasn't damsel in distress type, but his assist with Gideon Malick had been slick. Normally, she could handle Wilfred Malick's egomaniacal son herself. Normally, she could handle any sleazebag in a bar herself. But no version of that scenario ended without him causing a scene. _Spare us all from the fragile egos of entitled manchildren._ Enter the fake fiance, courtesy of Sousa. 

Right now, however, she wanted to punch him. She might have, too, if there were a moment to spare.

Logically, she knew he was overwhelmed. They'd just ripped him out of 1955 and invited him on their op in 1973 without a chance to acclimate, let alone get a thorough briefing. And he'd just learned that Peggy Carter was a Hydra target. She was probably the only person from his life that he was certain was still alive right now. And it was natural that he'd flip out at the first sign that they weren't completely in control of their own base of operations. Which also happened to be a time machine. Anger was a perfectly normal reaction.

But he was being an ass.

"What just happened back there?" Sousa demanded 

"We jumped to a new time."

"I know we jumped. _Why_ did we jump? Why didn't anybody know we were jumping?" he pressed, raising his voice.

"It's automatic. We get a countdown, and we jump. The countdown changed, and we jumped earlier than we expected. We don't set the timer, we just follow." She tried to keep her tone calm and even. _Not his fault._ She failed.

"Alright, well how far did we jump?"

"Three years."

"Three years?" he repeated. "How the hell did we just jump three years?"

"I told you, I don't know, we can't control it."

"Well who does?" He was shouting now.

"It's complicated," she shouted back. "And we don't have the time to get into this right now. We've got to stop the launch. If we haven't already missed it." 

Daisy took the next turn and hoped he wouldn't follow. He didn't. She almost regretted matching his temper. But there were bigger things on her mind right now.

***

Shaw's rebuke cut through Daniel's spiral of panic and rage. He'd behaved poorly, taking his feelings out on Agent Johnson and Agent Simmons. It was unbecoming.

Still, this team was clearly bungling their way through the timeline, changing countless lives - his life - without so much as a mission they fully understood. He wanted to get the hell off this plane. And possibly out of this circus, too. 

If he stopped here, at least he wouldn't be responsible for whatever havoc they wreaked on the future-present this time. Maybe now that Hydra was actively planning an attack, and he had more intel - maybe he could make a difference. "Heroic fallen warrior back from the grave with a dire warning" seemed like a strong card to play. Peggy was still alive - and Little Ricky, apparently - and he must know others. Maybe he had a better chance at stopping Hydra out there in '76 with them, than if he stayed on this damned plane full of strangers.

And apparently the director was sending agents out without backup. What on earth had become of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

"I'm going with her." He walked up behind Agent Johnson as Director Mackenzie announced her orders. "I'd rather be out there working the problem than in here where we could disappear at any moment."

Daniel appreciated her grace as she simply looked back at him with a nod. His behavior had been boorish, but she calmly accepted his offer of backup.

She made it tempting to stay with the team, if he was being honest with himself. But it wouldn't be fair to either of them to put that on her shoulders. And he was still angry that he couldn't get straight answers out of her about their time travels.

For the moment, it was enough to get off the plane and hit the streets.

****

Fresh air - and the knowledge that they could still stop the launch of Project Insight - cleared Daisy's head of her annoyance with Sousa. The team hadn't really taken the time to get him properly caught up. They hadn't even told him they weren't from the 1970s themselves until he'd asked. She'd handled his outburst poorly.

Daisy tried to make up for it as they talked and she hacked: share a little more information, a little reassurance. She was mildly surprised - and disappointed - to hear he was considering taking an off ramp here in '76. The idea that he might not want to stay with them on the Zephyr had occurred to her, of course. But he'd thrown himself into their mission, so she thought he'd made up his mind to join them. She hoped some success would give him more confidence in the team. But she could see why he might want to leave.

She didn't see Nathaniel Malick coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> I'm getting near the end of writing the story, so I plan to do daily updates from here on out. I hope you enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: violence, torture, needles, brief discussion of ableism

In the barn, bound and drugged and terrified for their lives, Daniel Sousa learned exactly who Agent Daisy Johnson was. Oh, the sass that got Nathaniel Malick talking, he expected. He'd fallen for that, himself, a few days ago in '55. Malick seemed all too willing to expound on his plans to a captive audience, anyway.

No, the details that showed her true mettle were subtler than that. 

First, she tried to deflect Malick from him by admitting he wasn't - _What word did he use?_ \- Inhuman. It was clumsy, and risked sounding like a lie designed to distract him, even though it was a truth designed to distract him. But she tried.

Then it became clear that Sousa would be expendable without powers, and she was masterful in her change of tactics. She kept Malick's focus on her, baiting him with empty threats and tantalizing him with the possibility she had more power than he'd seen. It was easy to mistake for simple bravado - as it needed to be in order to work. And it did work. Malick ordered her removed first, buying them time before he figured out that Sousa wasn't really immortal.

Malick's thugs dragged her into an adjacent room for his experiments, where Daniel could hear everything. He found a gap he could see through, but he resisted the temptation to watch. He didn't want to risk making things worse for Daisy by inspiring them to put on a show if they noticed an audience. But he caught enough to know Malick was performing inept surgery on her. And whether he watched or not, he could hear every scream, groan, and gasp. Malick had called her inhuman, but what he was doing…

He tried not to waste the time Agent Johnson bought him. He moved as much as he could to get his blood flowing and clear the fog of the drugs without drawing attention to himself. Tried to recall anything about their journey here (had they flown in?) and to study the environment for weapons, tools, and clues to aid an escape. It didn't look good. They were isolated in a remote location. They'd need to incapacitate their abductors and contact the team for an extraction. Daisy was being tortured, and Daniel had a prosthetic leg without a cane. 

_At least they didn't have the sense to confiscate my prosthetic. Apparently, people in the '70s still don’t know how to act around me._ Their incompetence gave him some hope.

He didn't see any signs of other guards patrolling, so it was only three against two. And despite Malick's claim that his wealth broke barriers, it hadn't procured him proper facilities on short notice. It shouldn't be hard to find Daisy's phone in the small barn _(Would that even work out of its time?)_ , or the radio on the plane to contact the Zephyr. Daniel remembered the sound of the plane engine clearly now. And was sure they hadn't been dragged far to the barn.

Daisy's groans faded into silence, and Daniel risked a look into the next room, afraid she might finally have passed out. He couldn't tell for sure. The thugs manhandled her off the table. He heard a crash, and then they dragged her back to their makeshift holding cell.

She was limp, but had enough control of her head to suggest she was conscious. _Thank God_. Malick subjected them both to more of his bloviating before leaving to extend his experiments to himself.

Daniel didn't wait for Malick to exit before he scrambled over to his partner.

"Daisy!" 

"Jaiyang. It happened… It happened before."

His heart stuttered. _Did she know?_ "Hey look at me." He reached out for her. 'What do you mean this happened before?"

"Jaiyang. I can't - Jaiyang." 

That was it. She didn't have the energy to say more. He rushed to pull her head into his lap, keep her conscious. He was afraid she wouldn't wake again if she passed out now. So he babbled while he considered the woman in his arms.

It sounded like Daisy had known exactly what Malick intended to do to them all along. She knew someone else who was butchered like this. And she had still baited Malick into experimenting on her first, to stop him from finding out that Daniel was expendable.

That was who Daisy Johnson was. She was the type to throw herself on the wire for someone else to make it through. Even for a near stranger like him. It must have taken every scrap of energy she could muster through the drugs to make it happen, but she had protected him by drawing Malick's attention. And endured a personal nightmare to keep him alive.

Well her sacrifice hadn't just spared him from death. By preventing Malick from taking one of them out, she'd given Daniel the chance to get them both out of here.

"We are going home, Agent Johnson. You hear me? We are going home. But you have got to fight."

****

Exits: the door they'd dragged her though, two windows six feet up. 

Available weapons: one gun on each of her manhandlers; various needles, tubing, and glass instruments on the mad scientist table.

Options: not many.

Daisy's brain catalogued her surroundings automatically. Which was handy, since she couldn't seem to make it do much consciously. 

_Thanks for the drills, May._

She needed to force one viable plan through the muck of her drugged brain before Malick could do his worst Whitehall impersonation. She might not be able to think at all once he started. Their only chance was before Sousa faced the needles and Malick realized he wasn't like Jaiyang. Malick would kill him, and Daisy wouldn't let her partner die.

There were no weapons in the other room with Sousa. He might pick his cuffs, but they would need something to even the odds while they were outnumbered and under the influence. 

_Focus. Weapons. Help Daniel. Get free._

As they strapped her down on the empty table, her head slumped to the side and put the array of medical supplies in view. _Ok, a plan._

1\. Survive torture.  
2\. Fall over the other table.  
3\. Grab anything sharp.  
4\. Hide it.  
5\. Get it to Sousa.

Malick stabbed the first needle into her arm. 

_Survive._

He missed the vein. 

_Fall on the supplies._

Stabbed again.

_Grab something sharp._

He dug the needle around, searching for the vein he'd missed a second time.

_Hide the weapon._

He hung a bag for her blood.

_Give it to Sousa._

Daisy concentrated on each step of the plan. She visualized each movement. 

Malick danced to her other side and presented a second needle with a flourish. "Let's not dilly dally."

_Get through this torture._

The needles weren't as bad as Malick's self-indulgent chatter. The blood loss was worse. 

By the time he made the first sloppy incision into her abdomen, her plan was her weapon, cutting through the pain to keep unconsciousness at bay. By the time Malick flipped her over and stabbed her spine, her mental control was shattering.

_Grab something sharp._

_Hide the weapon._

_Give it to Jaiyang._

_It happened to Jaiyang._

_Survive this torture._

_Grab onto Jaiyang._

_It happened to Jaiyang._

_Sousa needs a weapon._

Thoughts of Sousa helped tether her mind to the present. He wouldn't try to escape without her. He would need a weapon. 

_Grab something sharp. Get it to Sousa._

Time and pain swam around her.

By the time they rolled her off the table, her mind had to stretch to reach each step of the plan. Her body reached along with her mind and she overbalanced, crashing into the torture implements. She couldn't control her fall well enough to avoid catching her weight with her hands on something made of glass. A shard sliced her palm, and she curled her fingers around it. 

_Get it to Sousa. Hide the weapon. Clench your fist._

They dragged her from the room, and back to Sousa.

_Clench your fist._

They dropped her to the floor.

 _Clench your fist. Please don't take Daniel now_. If they did, it was over. _Clench your fist_. She barely registered Malick and his goons leave the room, but they didn't take Sousa. _We have a chance. Clench your fist._

She had something important for him. Something he needed. She couldn't remember what it was. Information?

"Daisy!"

"Jaiyang. It happened… It happened before."

"Hey! Stay with me."

She felt Daniel's hand on her head. The warmth and gentle touch felt like anesthetic after the cold needles and scalpels.

"What do you mean this happened before?"

"Jaiyang. I can't -" That was all she could get out. She hoped it was enough to help.

He pulled her head into his lap and started to tell her a story. She breathed. Focused on his voice, smooth and kind. The words slipped around, indistinct, but his tone centered her. Did he just say ass? He seemed too buttoned up to swear. 

He stroked her hair. She focused on the touch, warming her clammy skin. He raised his voice, mouth near her ear, and a few words sank in. 

"You have got to fight," he ordered.

 _Fight. Weapon._ She remembered. _Give the weapon to Sousa._

Daisy mustered her strength and raised her clenched fist.

His turn now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. I'll be back with more tomorrow!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy reading!

Daniel pulled Daisy tight against his chest and picked his way through the debris, planning his steps carefully to maintain his balance on his straining stump.

The second thug would still be out there, unless luck had brought the barn down on him, too, while somehow sparing both Daisy and Daniel. He didn't like to rely on luck - but, then again, without it he'd be dead in 1955 instead of carrying his partner from the wreckage of a 1976 barn. There wasn't much he could do in a fight while holding her, though. He would have to improvise. Yapping seemed to be working for him today. Hired goons relied on numbers to feel tough, and this particular goon didn't have numbers on his side anymore. Daniel might be able to intimidate him long enough to set Daisy down and get into a fair fight. That would have to do.

As he took the last agonizing step outside, Daniel was reminded that luck was a fickle date. A car peeled away from the barn, receding in a cloud of dust. His potential sparring partner had retreated, but taken the only ground transportation in sight.

Next problem.

Daniel staggered several yards to the nearest tree and leaned back. With some of their combined weight held up against the trunk, he could give his legs a break while he surveyed the area. Malick's runaway guard had taken the car, but the plane they'd flown in on was surprisingly close - only 20 yards from the remains of the barn. He recalled the short drag into the barn. _Maybe not that surprising,_ Daniel reconsidered, _since they had to carry us inside themselves._

He weighed his options. 

"If I carry you to the plane and try to radio the Zephyr now, Malick or his buddy could wake up and come after us before the cavalry gets here."

_Did she smile? Is she still conscious?_ No, it was probably his imagination.

"If I leave you there and go back to the barn, I might be able to drug them to keep them down. Or hit them harder. But that leaves you alone, and the other one could come back with reinforcements."

Daisy let out a faint groan.

"You don't get a vote. We don't have your tiny computer or superpowers to work with. Just my fists and witty charm." He looked down at her face. Her eyes were closed, but tight with pain. There might be emergency supplies they could both use on the plane. "Fine, you win. You're probably used to that, aren't you?"

Daniel braced himself to walk again. His residual limb burned, but he could make it 20 yards. He might have to get creative about getting her onto the plane, but at least it would be a defensible position if Malick did wake up.

"Let's go home, Agent Johnson."

****

Cool water trickled down her throat.

Daisy tried to shake the cobwebs out of her head, but the world spun at the tiniest movement. 

"Keep drinking. There you go." Sousa's voice. 

Her head was cradled in his lap, like before, but the surroundings were different. 

"The cavalry is coming," he said, shifting her to lean upright against his chest for a better angle with the water bottle.

"M - May?"

"No, the whole team. They were scanning radio frequencies for us. The Zephyr is on its way."

"Hey, did you… did you tell me that story back there?"

"Yeah."

"Dammit, Sousa." She paused, trying to recall any details. "I said I wanted to hear it… when I can remember."

He made shushing sounds and stroked her hair. "Save your sass for later. Rest now."

Impossibly, she giggled. "Hey, did you say 'ass?'"

"I said sass, woman. I have manners."

"Got any other stories?"

"Plenty."

His murmurs lulled her back to sleep.

****

The last time Daniel had seen the Zephyr, he was desperate to get away from it. Now, as the cargo ramp lowered to reveal the interior of the cloaked ship, team members rushing towards them, he felt only relief.

"Agent Johnson needs medical attention!" he yelled. He'd already briefed Enoch over the radio, but she was deteriorating. She'd passed out minutes ago, and her pulse was thready.

Agent Simmons and Agent May lifted Daisy onto a gurney and rushed her down the ramp, and off Malick's plane. Agent Rodriguez helped him to his feet.

"Nathaniel Malick is in the barn. Unconscious. He did this to her. He has her powers now."

"I'm on it." She nodded. Over comms, she ordered, "Deke, you're with me." 

Daniel limped with alacrity towards the Zephyr after Daisy and her escorts. When he managed to catch up with them, they were transferring her to a bed - the strangest he'd ever seen - in a medical clinic of sorts. Agent Simmons was ordering Agent May to uncover Daisy’s wounds, while assembling supplies and equipment to treat her.

He caught chatter over the comm system about two sets of tire tracks. He must have missed the second car. Malick got away. _Dammit._

“Tell me everything you know,” Simmons said with a brief glance at him. “And sit down so you don’t damage your leg any further before I get a chance to look at it.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Daniel sank into the nearest chair. He spouted every detail he could remember, keeping his eyes locked on Daisy. He watched her chest rise and fall, surveyed each amateur incision, studied her face for signs of pain and relief. Simmons danced around her, working with expert speed and precision. 

“She’ll be fine. Full recovery will take a few days. Nathaniel Malick," she spat the name with disdain, "is a butcher, but you got us to her in time, Agent Sousa. Well done,” Simmons reassured him as she worked.

“Thank you.” His gratitude was not for the compliment. 

Eventually, when Daisy was stable, Simmons took him aside to assess his leg while May changed Daisy's clothes. When he returned, Daisy was in some kind of glass pod with flashing lights.

"It's a healing chamber," Simmons explained as she pressed a series of buttons. "While she sleeps, it will keep her stabilized and accelerate her recovery. She'll need to spend most of the next 24 hours in there." She looked pointedly at Daniel. "She'll try not to."

Daniel grunted with a small smile. "Understood." He settled in to watch over Daisy. 

After an hour or so passed, he heard footsteps approach from behind him.

"We're about to jump," Deke announced from behind him.

"Last chance if you…" Agent Simmons started.

Daniel glanced at her briefly with a shake of his head. Leaving the Zephyr wasn't even a question anymore. Daniel could make a place for himself out there in 1976, sure. But the place he wanted was here. Maybe Agent Daisy Johnson didn't always need backup. But sometimes she would, and if she'd let him, he'd be there. S.H.I.E.L.D would be enough for him, in any time. _If I can be part of S.H.I.E.L.D with Daisy..._ He let the thought trail off, not wanting to place the burden of his hopes on her shoulders. But she trusted this team and believed in their mission, so he would, too.

"I'm where I need to be."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Daisy heard the familiar hum of the healing chamber as she woke. _We made it._ She sighed in relief, and immediately regretted it. _Dramatic sighs are off the table. Got it._

She took inventory of her injuries, tensing her muscles and making small movements to see what hurt. Her back and abdomen, unsurprisingly, were the worst, although she could feel both the pain and the bandages at her elbows, wrists, and neck. She still felt like garbage from getting drained of… everything. But at least she could identify distinct, separate sensations, whereas before her entire body had broadcast pain. She could probably get up in this condition. If anyone let her.

At last, Daisy opened her eyes and realized she was alone and the room was dark. _Nobody to stop me._ She hit the button to open the chamber and pushed herself up as much as she could with her arms to avoid straining her core.

Had they jumped again? Was the team out on assignments? Was everyone just asleep?

_Did Sousa leave the Zephyr?_

Daisy lowered herself gingerly off the bed, and left the medical bay in search of answers. Someone would yell at her for it, but they were the ones who literally left her in the dark. _So there._

She walked cautiously through the ship, listening for signs of activity. It was gratifying to move under her own power. Even though it hurt. 

The bunks were closest, and empty. That was unfortunate. It suggested that they were already dealing with the next threat - all hands on deck. She hesitated outside the bunk where Sousa had slept the first night, but moved on towards the bridge. The bunk wouldn't show for certain if he'd left or stayed.

Daisy hoped he'd stayed. She hadn't worked with a proper partner since Mack, and Sousa was a damn good one. And so easy to tease.

Other attractive qualities presented themselves, unbidden, in her thoughts. She set them aside - there was too much else to process right now.

The intense conversation drifted in her direction before she reached Command.

"... or move fast enough to go between them," May's voice met her first.

"The drive's not the only thing that's broken," she heard Yo-Yo add. _Dammit._ "If that Shrike hadn't taken away my powers, maybe - 

"Wait, what can you do?" Sousa interjected.

Tension eased in Daisy's body, as if she'd developed a reflex after listening to his voice in the barn. _He's still here._

"Simmons, do you have any other theories as to what happened to Yo-Yo?" May again. It sounded like they were going to need Elena's powers to fix the time drive before it did...something. She didn't catch what, but probably not something good. Well, Daisy had an idea about that.

"I wish I did, but I just don't know enough about Inhuman biology to - "

"My mom does," Daisy pointed out as she entered the bridge, slightly winded from the walk.

"Daisy, you should be resting," Sousa admonished gently. Simmons was going to appreciate her new ally.

"I'm OK," she assured him. _For now, anyway,_ she amended silently. She glanced at the display. "1983, right? Jaiyang is at Afterlife. If anyone knows how to cure Inhuman powers, it's her."

"Can we get there in time?" asked Yo-Yo.

Jemma checked the computer. "If you leave before the next jump."

The team began to work out the details. Mack asked Daisy and Jemma to come with him to the lab to discuss the implications of involving her mother in things before she'd even been born. By the time they made it to Coulson, the incision in Daisy's abdomen was burning. Frankly, she regretted the walk more than the risk to her own existence.

****

Agent Simmons left Daniel alone in the loading bay with the prepped chutes and the new prosthetic. He pulled it from its case and took a moment to study - admire - it. It was lighter, and almost certainly sturdier, than his current one. The ankle articulated well. He couldn't be sure yet, but considering he'd seen Simmons rebuilding Coulson's entire robot body, this might even be designed for use without a crutch. It would make fieldwork much more accessible - and it looked like there was more of that ahead of him for once. Daniel grinned to himself. 

He considered timing and tactics. It would take time to wash and dry both his leg and the socket properly, or he'd risk skin breakdown. Would he have enough time before the time drive failed? But he'd been hauling ass to get the parachutes prepped, and hadn't had a cane since the alley in '76. His residual limb was under too much strain, and he was slowing down. With the new prosthetic, he could walk faster and bear more weight - especially useful if Daisy needed help moving. If May and Rodriguez returned but weren't successful, they'd evacuate to the Quinjet - docked at the opposite end of the ship. Mobility was key.

Skin damage in Simmons' care in 1983 was a better bet than losing a literal race against the clock and getting stuck on the ship. And she _had_ brought it to him in case they got stranded here. He grinned again. It was just too tempting. He took the case to the medical bay and set about carefully washing and drying his residual and prosthetic limbs.

****

Daisy watched Jemma follow Sousa out of the lab with a large case, and sighed. Everyone else was rushing around the Zephyr, working the problem, while she and Coulson sat uselessly in the lab. He was still printing, and she barely had the strength to sit up straight.

"We are not in the best shape. Are we?" she observed.

She stood and walked over to him, just to prove to herself she could. He shared a glimpse into his disembodied, digital life. He was struggling, and she felt a rush of guilt for activating him.

"I'm happy to see you healing. At least it feels like happiness. I wonder how many ones and zeros it takes to achieve that fuzzy feeling."

Daisy considered apologizing again, but she knew it would only serve to make herself feel better. Coulson didn't need to deal with her guilt on top of his existential angst.

"Well yeah, I was lucky. Sousa pulled me out of the wreckage. Got us home." The short summary didn't do justice to it, but Coulson would understand. "I'm glad he's here."

"That makes me happy, too," he said, face softening.

Maybe Coulson understood a bit more than she meant to convey. Not that he was wrong, exactly. But Daisy wasn't entirely sure why she was glad to have Sousa here - just that she was. And she wasn't at all sure what he thought of her. There wasn't time to sift through her feelings about anything on this mission, and Daniel was only one among several recent developments. Time was never on their side.

For a moment, Daisy allowed herself to ache for the simplicity of her early days on the Bus. No robots, or time travel, or aliens (maybe one or two), or literal earth-shattering consequences for failure. Just a team, on a plane, with missions that actually ended.

Tired from the effort it took to stand, she hobbled back to her chair and conjured an image of the OG team: the six of them sprawled over the loading ramp, toasting their success with beers and watching a rocket launch an 0-8-4 into space. But she didn't feel the expected tug of nostalgia.

There never really had been any simplicity back in those days. Her SO was Hydra, the Kree had already affected both her and Coulson, May had secret orders to watch Coulson for Fury, and Daisy herself was lying about her reasons for joining S.H.I.E.L.D. She didn't know her name was Daisy back then. And the 0-8-4 wasn't even on the damn rocket.

The Coulson here and now seemed to be content to study his glass of water while he waited for his new legs to materialize. Or he knew they both needed the silence. So she followed her thoughts as they flowed.

The only people back then without any secrets or hidden agendas were Fitz and Simmons. Their only secret was the future with each other that they couldn't see yet. That was the simplest thing of all: Fitzsimmons, defying space, time, and alien invasions to be together.

The people here on the team now weren't simple. They'd been through too much, most of it together. Which was what made them her family. And the missions might not ever let up, but they gave her purpose. Daisy's life was never simple, but it was good.

Sousa appeared in the doorway, breaking her reverie.

"The parachutes are ready, but we should all get to Command in case we need to reach the Quinjet. How are your legs coming?" he asked, with a surprisingly straight face for someone who'd never met a robot until this week.

"No feet yet. But you should get Daisy moving now just to be safe. I might beat you there anyway," Coulson challenged.

Daisy closed her eyes so she could roll them in private. The last thing she needed was for Coulson to start playing matchmaker.

"I'm fine. I can walk without help, let's just go." Daisy felt like a whiny teenager, but she knew that Sousa was limping from carrying her out of the barn, and she didn't want to be responsible for making it worse. She tried to wave him off before he even approached, but she stopped, stunned to notice he actually wasn't limping anymore.

"New leg," he explained. "Agent Simmons is giving them out left and right today. You in the market for an upgrade? I'm sure she could fix you up," he quipped.

He reached around her waist to help her stand, and Daisy swallowed her retort. She resisted the urge to look back at Coulson as they left the room. She didn't need to see the smirk on his face to know that it was there.

Sousa kept his hand at the base of her ribcage as they proceeded down the hall, supporting her weight. Daisy reached up to his shoulder for balance. Her pulse raced from the contact, making it hard to deny her attraction. 

She tucked that thought away for later, and took the moment to appreciate the simple pleasure of having someone to lean on.

****

Daniel watched everyone react to the skin-of-their-teeth save. Mack and Enoch left Command to congratulate Agent Rodriguez on saving the ship, and to attend to the time drive, respectively. He looked at Daisy. Her gray pallor was starting to worry him.

"Daisy, you should get some rest," he suggested.

"Doctor's orders, actually," Simmons added. "I'll meet you in the equipment room after I get the healing chamber. Deke, will you help me?"

"I'm fine," Daisy mumbled without much sincerity.

Agent Coulson exchanged a look with Daniel. "You're not fine. You're swiss cheese," the older man countered.

Daniel retreated to the equipment room to make sure there was space for the healing chamber. And a chair. 

Despite the hectic day - maybe even because of it - Daniel was pleased. His biggest concern about leaving '76 and staying with the team was how useful he could be with knowledge and skills that were 20 years out of date, and rising with every jump. But he had found ways to contribute. 

And he'd be here to make sure Daisy healed, since she seemed to take care of everybody but herself. That was useful, too.

Not long after he'd made space for it, Simmons and Shaw entered the room with the healing apparatus. Daisy followed in short order, under her own power, and readied herself for the chamber without comment.

This time, Daniel would stay and make sure she rested. He settled into the chair, stretched his leg appreciatively, and smiled. 

It was a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow for everybody's favorite time loop episode 😁.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: character death (consistent with canon!)
> 
> Let's do the Time Warp again...

In some loops, Daisy wakes Daniel. In others, she doesn't.

When she does, Daniel always helps her. He never asks why, only how.

Daisy dies 18 times, four in Daniel's arms. It's a mercy that he doesn't remember any of them. Daniel dies 25 times, 11 in Daisy's arms. She will carry the burden of remembering the last. 

She never uses his first name. He always uses hers.

Daisy takes four loops for herself and asks Daniel why he's always there for her. She'll only remember his last answer, but it's always the same. He already knows his answer, of course, but he won't remember that she cared enough to ask. Each time, she kisses him in the next loop. 

When Daisy wished for time to sort through her feelings, this wasn't what she meant.

****

"Sousa!"

Blood spurted from his mouth as he choked, and then his eyes went blank. Daisy leaned back against the workbench and closed her eyes. She sat with him until the loop reset again.

****

When Daisy woke up in the pod again, she lowered herself gently. She stared at him for a moment, considering waking him to… To ask for more help? Thank him? Yell at him? She wasn't sure. But she didn't know how to talk to somebody who had just died so she could keep her memories, and she didn't care to risk watching him die again. She left him sleeping in the chair.

****

When Daisy woke up in the pod again, she knew sound would wake Sousa. But she didn't really think about that as she slumped off the table. She just couldn't process the enormity of taking on Enoch to get at Simmons' implant.

"Hey. What are you doing up?" he asked again.

But Sousa wasn't thinking about Enoch or the time loops or any of it. Just about her. Not that he knew about the rest of it right now. But the question felt small and petty in comparison to everything else. And he would always ask. 

"Why do you care?" 

"Because you don't."

Daisy spent all her time surrounded by a team that loved and supported each other, that loved and supported _her_ \- a family. She wasn't lacking for people who would bully her into healing, believe in her, or risk their lives for her. But she'd never felt more _seen_ in her life than when Daniel Sousa looked at her with a soft smile and… cared.

****

When Daisy woke up in the pod again, she dropped herself to the ground with a thud. And then she did it again, and again as they tried different ways of dealing with Enoch. She needed all the help she could get to keep him away from Jemma.

It was never quite enough, and she was running out of ideas.

***"

When Daisy woke up in the pod again, she was frustrated and desperate.

"Hey. What are you doing up?"

"Uh, well, believe it or not, I am stuck in a time loop, and I'm running out of ways to save us all." _Let's start there. Why not? I don't have time to dance around it._

"Ok. How can I help?" 

"There's no time. There's…" There was no time for anything. The puzzle in the form of a man that was Daniel Sousa was just one problem she never had the time to solve. _Screw it._ "Actually, _I_ can take a loop." She grabbed a chair and settled in for an interrogation.

She'd thought she felt seen when he merely noticed that she wasn't treating rest like it was a priority. (It _wasn't_ , not while they were trapped in a time storm with a homicidal robot.) But listening to him now - it was like looking at herself through his eyes. It was flattering, but not overblown. Sousa just understood who she was. 

But that didn't explain why he was always so willing to help her, without question and without fail. So she asked.

"Because when people like you run into those walls, you should have someone there to pick you back up."

"And you - you like to be that someone."

"Not for everyone."

 _Oh_. The word rested silently on her lips, unspoken but easily seen. That was the piece of the puzzle she'd been missing. It was surprisingly simple. Sousa had feelings for her. It should have been obvious, actually. But he never acted with any agenda or expectations. He just - offered himself to help.

That was the moment Daisy understood who Daniel Sousa was: someone who offered himself to support the people around him, wherever he saw a need. 

Someone who would offer himself to her, if she wanted him to. _I might want you to_. Her heart knocked against her ribcage at the thought.

Ever the gentleman, he moved the conversation back to the bigger problem before she could feel any kind of pressure to respond.

****

When Daisy woke up in the pod again, she was supposed to do the same thing again, but faster.

"Hey, what are you doing up?"

"Uh… I need you to do something for me."

"Of course. What do you need?"

 _What_ , no _hesitation with this guy, at all, ever? I didn't say anything about what I want or why. Ok, no hesitation, then. Let's try this out._

Daisy closed the space between them, reached for him, and kissed him briefly before she thought about it too much and changed her mind. It was sweet, and intense - and not enough for either of them. They drew back together and lingered until she couldn't stop herself from smiling at the joy of the connection.

"That was nice. Now we need to trap a space robot."

***

When Daisy woke up in the pod again, there was no room for joy. Jemma's unexplained grief and the task ahead were a bitter cocktail churning her stomach. She lowered herself gently to the floor, and didn't even hesitate as she passed Daniel, leaving him asleep for their last chance out of the time loop.

At the end of the loop, Enoch left them, and she sat in silent vigil over his body with Coulson. 

Daisy left the time loops behind with two new lessons: she and Daniel had feelings for each other, and her family might be breaking apart. She didn't know what to do with either one.


	10. Chapter 10

"The time drive is fixed, but there's no countdown anymore. It's not doing anything. Whatever we do next, it has to be here in 1983," Simmons announced to everyone gathered in Command.

"Sibyl is still out there," Coulson stated.

"And Nathaniel Malick," Sousa added.

Mack nodded. "Alright. There's no telling how long we're going to be here, so let's conserve the Zephyr's fuel. We'll need a base of operations on land."

"The Lighthouse should still be empty. Except maybe my team," Deke suggested.

Daisy, May, Yo-Yo, Jemma, Coulson, and Mack all groaned.

"What?" Sousa looked around at everyone blankly. 

Mack shook his head and muttered something under his breath. "One thing at a time. First, let's get to the Lighthouse, see if we can get any more intel on where things stand with the timeline right now. We'll figure out our plan from there. May, bring us in. Everyone else, pack up."

They dispersed, and Daisy went to her bunk to set about packing her things. The flight would be short, but packing one duffle of clothes and toiletries was shorter. She sat down on the bed, pulled her knees up to her chest, and leaned back against the wall with a sigh. Moments of calm like this were rare. _I'd get bored with too many, but I need a damn minute once every mission or two._

There was a lot on her mind, but uppermost was Fitz. Jemma had been inconsolable when her memories returned. The only thing Daisy could imagine that would affect her like that was if Fitz had died. _Is that what drives us apart?_ Daisy couldn't picture what could possibly break up the team, if this were really their last mission together. How would Jemma cope if Fitz was dead, and she didn't have the team to lean on? How could they lose each other? Who would stay with Daisy?

Someone rapped at her door.

"Come in," she called. 

The door opened to reveal Sousa. "I wanted to check if you need anything." 

_Of course you did._

He paused briefly, and his open expression took on a sardonic cast. "And ask why everyone hates the Lighthouse so much."

"I'm good, thanks," she said dryly, glancing at her one duffle and shifting forward on the bed. _I have less stuff now than when I lived in my van._

"No, I mean after the time loops. How does that work with - did you even get any rest?'

Daisy suppressed a laugh. "Well I started every loop in the healing chamber, so I guess, maybe. I don't really understand how it worked."

The memory of their kiss hung in the air while she considered telling him about everything. It seemed wrong to keep it from him. And it seemed wrong that she remembered it, like she'd read his diary. The Sousa standing here hadn't made the choice to give her some big, romantic speech about picking her up when she hit brick walls. The Sousa standing here was just asking about the Lighthouse.

"As for the Lighthouse," she trailed off and indicated the lone chair in the bunk for him to sit. "It's a long story." The story reminded her that no version of Sousa knew about the Destroyer of Worlds. Or Lincoln, or how she grew up, or anything about her past at all. Once he did, he might feel differently.

Sousa tried to prop the door open, and struggled with it awkwardly, but they were designed to close automatically. Daisy smiled and neglected to show him the button that would hold it open. He gave up and sat down with an embarrassed cough.

"Long story, huh?" he prompted.

"This isn't our first mission in time. A while back, we got pulled to 2091. Technically that was a time loop, too. Different kind. And a lot longer."

Sousa started to interject. "Don't," she stopped him, "try to think about it. It's not worth the headache." She described the conditions in the future Lighthouse, when the Earth was destroyed. "That's the future that Deke is from. Has anyone mentioned that he's Simmons' grandson?"

"No, nobody got around to that one yet." 

"Anyway, we came back to our time, and it was our base of operations while we tried to prevent that future. So the Lighthouse isn't awful or anything, it's just nicer up here on Z1. With, y'know - windows."

"Ok, but what about the future? Deke's still here. Did you… Fix it?" 

"It took a loop or two, sort of, but yeah. We stopped the guy who was supposed to crack the world. Or who _did_ destroy it the first time through the loop. Coulson - the human one - sacrificed himself so that we would win."

Daisy looked Daniel in the eye. He took everything in stride. She took a breath, and decided to let him in a little more.

"Talbot, the guy who, umm, did it. He was juiced up with gravitonium, and it was enough to break the world apart. Literally. For a while there, Hydra wanted to do that to me. They were trying to make someone into a weapon to stop a different threat. But we already knew it was going to backfire in a big way." She studied his reaction to what she was capable of doing with her powers

"And Nathaniel Malick is walking around out there with the ability to do _that_?" 

"No, not on his own. He'd need a little kick from something like the gravitonium. Or I would." 

He raised his eyebrows at the end of her speech, apparently catching her cautious emphasis on herself. "What, Daisy Johnson, agent of destruction?" He shook his head. "I don't think so."

He dismissed the possibility as if it were absurd. She'd spent so long afraid that she would literally destroy the planet, and Sousa just shrugged it off. 

"So you find out that somebody on your team _from the future_ could shake apart the whole world, and that's it? Nothing fazes you, does it?" The words slipped out before she realized she was repeating herself 

"It all fazes me, just… maybe not my face. But your superpower? Not that. It's very impressive." He looked at her with the same puppy dog eyes that he had in the time loop, but that was all he said this time.

"Huh," was all Daisy could muster in reply.

****

In the Lighthouse, Daniel made his way down the hall with his and Daisy's duffles. He wasn't lying - it did actually feel good to put extra weight on his new prosthetic. He turned the corner, and found the so-called bunks. The doors were spaced too far apart for the term to apply. He poked his head in one - yes, huge. Not a bad base of operations.

Sure, the Lighthouse was old news to everybody else. But he could appreciate it. 

He dropped his bag inside and stepped out to find a place for Daisy's - and suddenly felt like an awkward teenager with a crush, wondering what she might read into wherever he put it.

With a self-deprecating sigh, he shook his head and set her bag between two doors across the hall. Focus, Sousa. You need to get some sleep before…whatever the hell happens next around here. Time travel, Hydra working with evil alien robots, a secret society of superpowered people - what else could they go up against? _I'm laying even odds on monsters from another dimension._

****

"I knew this was a mistake. I never should've agreed to this plan," Jaiyang worried.

"You can trust us," Daisy tried to assure her.

"Trust you? I don't know anything about you. And no one will tell me anything," her mother objected, clearly frustrated and scared.

Daisy tried again. "We just want to help. Afterlife is important to us, too." 

"You don't know the first thing about it."

"She's been there," Sousa interjected.

Daisy looked at him. _What the hell. You choose_ now _to push?_ He _never_ pushed. _So much for bailing me out._

"Before your friends showed up, we'd never had an outsider find us," Jaiyang argued.

"Go on, show her," Sousa looked at Daisy, and crooked his head towards her mother.

Daisy glared at him, then looked around for a moment, feeling oddly helpless. _You didn't leave me much choice here, did you? Okay, then._ She chose the cup by a console, reached out, and vibrated the water in it.

And then Jaiyang began to open up. Sousa retreated to give them space, and Daisy finally got the chance to connect with her mother.

****

Daniel jogged to Daisy from Control. She didn't have a radio on her, and she needed to know that Malick was getting away with Simmons.

When he reached the right hallway, she was on the ground, in tears, leaning over Jaiyang's body. He hesitated for a moment, feeling intrusive.

"Daisy, I'm sorry. They took Simmons and hijacked the Zephyr. We're tracking them on radar now."

Daisy's hair fell in front of her face as she dropped her head for a moment. Then she stood and jogged down the hallway towards him. Just before she reached him, she stopped and turned to look back at her mother.

"We'll take care of her properly later, I promise. Simmons needs you now," he said gently.

Instinctively, he reached out his hand for hers as she turned back to him. She took it, and let him lead her into a jog before they let each other go.

As they slipped through the hallways, Daniel considered the new lifestyle he'd signed up for. He'd seen horrors in the war, and his share of both loss and wonder in the field with the SSR. But the speed at which this team dealt with it all, as they took on enemies that defied even his sense of scale, was dizzying. _No wonder they pulled me out of '55 without much of an explanation. It was just another day on the job for them._

He'd left his anger behind in '73, but as they raced through a massive underground bunker built to survive the end of the world, he started to understand them all a hell of a lot better.

****

Daisy zipped up her Quake suit, grabbed her gear, and checked the hallway outside her bunk for signs of life before proceeding. She couldn't risk anyone trying to stop her from saving Jemma. She considered looking for Sousa. If there was anyone on the team who would follow her off-book into the belly of the beast, it would be him. _Maybe Yo-Yo,_ she reconsidered, _but she's gotta stay here and manage Malick's henchmen._

But Sousa's unyielding dedication to her was exactly why she couldn't bring him. Sibyl played the odds - and the odds of Daniel Sousa saying no when Daisy asked for help were zero. The time loops had proved that conclusively. So she continued on without him, with a pang of regret.

Just as she won (lost?) the argument with herself, Sousa appeared at the junction ahead of her.

"Hey I was just coming to… That's different." He looked her up and down, noting her suit. "Going somewhere?" 

"Look, I know that you want to help. Believe me, I know." And if she knew, Sibyl did, too. "But just for once, don't, ok?"

"If you're chasing a lead, you need backup," he argued.

"I have to do this on my own," she insisted to herself as much as to him. She allowed herself a short connection - a quick touch of his hand - then walked away.

He chased her down anyway. Because of course he did. "You know, I learned a long time ago not to let somebody do something stupid on their own."

They stopped to face each other.

"You learn that in the army?" Daisy taunted.

"Brooklyn Scout Troop 87."

"Boy Scouts." 

"We were kind of the bad boys of the Boy Scouts," he bragged. Only he would brag about something as square as…

_He's a square._

"Have you ever left your post before?" she asked. "Like, snuck off the base and, I don't know, played pool or got drunk?"

"You think I'm the kind of person who would do that?" He sounded mildly insulted, even though he obviously knew that she knew that the answer was no.

_If Sibyl can't predict that I'd leave Kora, then she can't actually predict I'd ask Sousa for help. So she'll never predict him leaving his post. This could work._ She beamed at the realization.

"Then this'll be your first time. You coming?"

****

"With respect, sir, I think you're full of it," Daniel called to the cockpit from the jump seat. Their ascent was slowing, the intense Gs dissipating as they eased towards the outer reaches of the atmosphere.

"What's that, Agent Sousa?" the director shot back over his shoulder.

Daniel was sitting directly across from the bag the director dumped on the floor when he joined them. The bag he'd packed in advance. _And he had that shotgun… axe … thing. Nifty weapon._

"Your bag, sir. You were planning on joining Agent Johnson all along."

"You're damn right I was." After a pause, he admitted, "It was Yo-Yo's idea."

Daniel nodded to himself. This was a good team. Peggy would probably be pleased with a director who dove in and followed one of his agents on a half-cocked plan to save two abducted teammates.

_Hmm. Maybe not._ He reconsidered his former boss, her codes of conduct, and a few of her more blistering lectures. _But she'd've done the same, anyway._

He felt the ship turn as the Quinjet continued to slow. He rose an inch in his seat, his body pushing upward against the harness that kept him strapped down. This was it. Space. He unbuckled his restraints, and immediately regretted it. His stomach swooped at the unfamiliar movement as he floated upward.

"Guys, my stomach feels…" he trailed off, unsure how to describe it.

Mack flipped a few switches, and Daniel dropped back into his seat.

"Thank you."

"Now that we're out of the atmosphere, we should be able to lock onto the Zephyr," Daisy explained. 

Daniel trod over to the cockpit, testing the artificial gravity, and looked at the vista splashed across the window.

"My goodness." 

"It's really something, huh." Mack sounded as amazed as he felt. "Alright. Better strap in there, buddy. This next part's going to be tricky."

Daniel retreated obediently to his seat, tearing his eyes reluctantly from the view of the Earth among the stars. 

"Seriously, if this isn't timed out just right, we will freeze to death in the dark void of space. So buckle up, Danny boy."

_100,000 mile Hail Mary time._

Objectively, he should be terrified at the prospect of freezing in space. Or at being in space in a plane that wasn't built for spaceflight. Or going on a space rescue mission in a plane that wasn't built for spaceflight with no exit strategy. Or any of it. 

But… he was in space. It was stunning beyond belief. He wouldn't trade that for anything.

_Kinda like her_ , he thought, looking at the woman he'd fallen in love with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everybody, for reading/commenting. It was a lot of fun to write all this, and now it's awesome to have you on the ride with me through this season.
> 
> It's a few days away, but I might take a break from the daily updates after I hit 7x13 to make sure my post-canon stuff is really solid before I post it. But we've got a few canon chapters left for now 🙂.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Daisy wasn't quite sure what assurances she wanted Mack to offer her in the face of Enoch's prophecy. But calm acceptance wasn't it. Maybe she at least expected him to protest - even if she knew he couldn't promise it wouldn't happen. But if the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. agreed it was time to move on - it made it more real. Tears pricked suddenly behind her eyes.

"Mack - " she paused, searching for the right words to express the enormity of how this felt. "You guys are my family." Daisy had no concept of home as a place in her memory. It was these people - the first people in her life who cared about her. And not just that, but they gave her a sense of purpose, taught her, believed in her. "I don't know who I am without you guys." Her voice broke. She felt like she was nine years old, asking to be loved.

"Daisy - "

"No, it's - "

"You know exactly who you are," Mack insisted, with all the pride of an older brother. There was a difference between rejecting a child, and letting an adult go, she supposed. He wasn't wrong. "With anyone," he added.

_Anyone_ , she considered. She was afraid to let go of the present. But if she could look forward to the future… Her head turned to Sousa, like a reflex. There was one person who might be there for her, no matter what.

Mack made a noise of mock protest.

"What?"

"Really subtle." 

"Stop!" Sousa was awake - he might hear them.

"Cool," Mack refused to let her off the hook.

_First Coulson, then Simmons, now Mack. Fine, I'll bite._ There wasn't much else to do while they floated.

Daisy lowered her voice to a whisper. "In the - in the time loops, we… kinda kissed," she admitted. "Whatever, he's a dork," she tried, poorly, to play it off like it wasn't a big deal.

"See that's messed up, cause he doesn't remember that," Mack admonished, but he was grinning at her.

"Then why are you smiling?" She could pretend to make light of it, but she was still curious about Mack's opinion.

"Because Yo-Yo owes me $20."

_Mack_ bet _on this?! Jerk._ She laughed and kicked him. 

If she was being truly honest with herself, she could picture a future with Daniel. But… "It won't be the same."

"No, it won't," Mack asked. "But that's okay."

They settled into companionable silence, and Daisy reflected on the future. She couldn't be comfortable with the idea of the team breaking up, but the way Mack put it, it sounded… well, not okay, like he said, but natural. It was still terrifying. She'd had so little stability in her life, and the team had given it to her. 

Maybe that was Mack's point - she had it in herself, now, with or without the team. The purpose, the mission, the skills - the team helped give them to her, but those didn't go away without the team there.

_Maybe that's what Kora needs, too._ She felt a pang of guilt for abandoning her sister. _One problem at a time._

There was still one worry she couldn't shake, though.

"What about Fitz? Do you - is he alive out there somewhere?" 

"Why wouldn't he be?" asked Mack.

Daisy hesitated, searching for a way to explain Jemma's grief without giving anything away about her implant. "Well, the time drive works, and we stopped jumping when the Chronicoms did. What if he wasn't even controlling it in the first place - we were just following them, and he's been dead all along?"

Mack took a minute to think about it.

"No, I don't think so," he concluded at last.

"Why not?"

"Because there is no timeline out there where Leopold Fitz keeps Simmons in the dark, where she can't grieve and move on with her life."

That felt true - and it was strangely comforting. Fitz and Simmons had been the steadiest thing in Daisy's life, like a fixed point. Fitz would never hurt Jemma. And he would do anything for her.

Daisy felt her cheeks warm with a blush. She turned her face down. If that reminded her of anyone else, she was _not_ going to let Mack in on the secret.

****

Daniel did not tire of the view from space as their flight wore on. _Space._ The only thing that tore his attention away was Daisy, as she approached to take the seat next to him.

"Soaking it all in, Danny boy?" 

"Can we go back to Sousa? I mean, if you're not going to call me Daniel, that's at least better than Danny boy."

She shot him a wide grin that rattled his composure - and suggested she had no intention of dropping the new nickname. "But seriously, we're on a life or death mission up here, and you're just staring out the window like the cat that got the cream."

"When are they not life or death?" he countered. She tilted her head in tacit acknowledgment. "How are you not awed by this?" He paused, arriving at a plausible theory. "How much time have you people spent up here?" It was almost an accusation.

"In orbit around the Earth? Not a lot, I swear." Her tone suggested a lie by omission.

"No. No, you're kid - Where else have you been?" He was incredulous.

"Lots of places, Danny boy. If you like this, you'd love seeing, I don't know, a nebula or something. It's a wide, wide galaxy out there."

He glared at her, then resumed looking at the perfectly adequate view of his friendly local planet Earth.

"I wanted to thank you," she said, lowering her voice.

Daniel looked at her. She was leaning slightly forward so her hair obscured her face. He waited quietly for her to sort through her thoughts.

"For encouraging me to talk to my mom." She continued slowly. "It didn't erase who she - what - " Daisy fumbled for her words. "It doesn't really change anything. But it's something I didn't have before. And that's good. So thank you."

"You're welcome," he said simply.

She was grateful, but he was just glad to be able to help. He couldn't believe she was just going to pass on the opportunity to talk to her mother, who'd died, because of a timeline that was already in shambles anyway. Actually, he could completely believe it. But it was still stupid, and she deserved that time with her mother.

Daisy leaned back in the seat, pulled her knees up to her chin, and looked at him. "So who would you talk to, if you had the chance?" 

Daniel told her about his buddy Benny, from Troop 87, who'd enlisted alongside him - but who didn't make it home. And he told her about his parents, but neglected to mention how much he thought they'd like her.

"No girlfriends?" she asked. Her voice was too neutral to read if it was just casual interest - or if she was carefully disguising anything else. 

"None I'd risk the timeline for, no." He wasn't sure what might've made it into his agent file, which Daisy had clearly memorized before infiltrating Area 51. "I'd like to see how things turn out for Peggy, though." If she could play it cool, so could he.

"Pe - Agent _Carter?!_ " Four different unreadable reactions played out over her face.

So, definitely not in his file, then.

"Didn't last," he offered, pleased at least to have surprised her.

"Oh, so when you heard she was on the base back in 1955, you thought you were going to see your ex." Daisy looked at him for confirmation and started laughing at his wry expression. Or possibly at his predicament from '55.

He glared back at her. _Ok, yes, I double checked how I looked. Perfectly normal. Nobody wants to look scruffy in front of an ex._ In the end, he'd been much happier running into Daisy that day instead.

"No wonder you hate Captain America," she surmised, glancing at him sideways.

"What? I don't ha - who hates Captain America? Besides, y'know, Nazis," he sputtered.

"Come on, you were pissed when I told you he was still alive. You were!" She was far too smug about this.

"I was surprised," he deflected, raising his hands. "Okay, okay, I used to be jealous of the guy. The man sacrificed himself to save New York. Who can live up to that? But, ah, Peggy and I - we weren't the right fit, anyway."

Daisy's laughter had died down, and she was looking at him with those dark eyes. She looked sad and hopeful - and tired.

"Hey, you didn't get any rest back at the Lighthouse, did you? We've still got time for you to catch some sleep," he suggested. He expected her to argue. Instead, the sadness passed like a cloud, and she rolled her eyes and smiled.

Daisy and Mack traded places, and Daisy appeared to settle in for a nap under the jump seats. The wonder at being in space captured his attention again. He kept quiet until he could see she was asleep, but then he couldn't resist waxing poetic about it all.

He expected that the director might tire of his yapping. He didn't expect a lecture about Daisy.

"What are your intentions?" 

"Sir?"

"With Daisy," he clarified.

Daniel had tried very hard not to have any intentions. At least not the kind Mack was talking about. "I don't have any intentions." Daisy was dealing with far too much to be expected to deal with _intentions._

"Well, you better get some. And quick. 'Cause this thing is coming for you," he cautioned.

"This - thing," he prompted. He understood what Mack meant - probably. Unless he was massively misunderstanding 21st century slang. Which was always possible.

Mack sighed.

"She's into you."

_Ahh_. Daniel glanced back at Daisy and reconsidered their interactions. He wasn't a fool - he could tell she was attracted to him. They'd had chemistry from the start, and she occasionally looked at him like he was a steak dinner. But there was a difference between chemistry and… whatever being "into" someone really meant. This changed things.

"And I'm not even sure she knows it yet," Mack continued. But pretty soon, she'll figure it out. And when she does… Watch out. 'Cause once she gets something into her head - "

"She won't stop. Yeah, I noticed." He just hadn't anticipated being one of those things. Hoped, yes, but not expected - certainly not yet.

"Hmm. But listen. Daisy's been hurt. Bad."

Daniel looked back at her again, wishing he were having this conversation with her instead of their boss. It didn't surprise him to hear she'd been hurt - she was so guarded. It just felt intrusive to hear about it from a third party. Although he respected that Mack was looking out for his friend.

Then, the director proceeded to threaten him with the wrath of the entire team.

"I would never hurt her," he promised solemnly.

The tension broke as they shared a laugh at Daisy's patently ridiculous superhero name. _Who comes up with this stuff?_ Eventually, they lapsed back into silence. Mack passed out, and Daniel was alone with his thoughts.

The last thing he'd wanted over the last several days was to put any pressure on Daisy to respond to his growing feelings for her. Nobody wanted to be stuck in close quarters with someone professing unwelcome interest. And, well, it had been a busy week. He had watched Daisy respond to crisis after crisis with unyielding strength to carry out the mission, and unwavering care for her team. All while enduring the onslaught of personal nightmares.

All of which, of course, was exactly why he'd fallen in love with her. The sass and knee-watering smile didn't hurt, either. But his feelings weren't her fault, or her responsibility to deal with in the middle of all this mess.

But if, as Mack had so charmingly put it, Daisy was "into him," then keeping his feelings to himself wasn't doing them any favors anymore. He grinned to himself. 

"Alright, _Quake_. Let's see where this goes."

****

"Hey," Daisy caught Sousa's attention while they geared up. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Just, being here." She'd taken the chance to thank him for the time with her mom. She couldn't put into words how much she would always treasure that. But following her into space for a high-stakes rescue mission seemed… bigger. At least in terms of risk.

"It was nothing. But, you're welcome. Quake." He drew the word out into two syllables.

"I'm sorry, what now?" Something in his tone had changed, but she couldn't place how.

"Nothing, just happy to help, Quake. Whatever you need."

_Is he…flirting?_ "Are you being funny?" She stepped towards him, drawn in by the tantalizing possibility. Still, he could just be teasing.

"Uh, is it funny? Not if that's what you like to be called, Quake." He stepped towards her with a playful grin, stopping inches away as he loaded his pistols. 

_He_ is _flirting._ His sudden change in demeanor flustered her. He'd been so careful to avoid showing his feelings unless directly asked. And now, out of nowhere, he was _flirting_. "I - the press called me that, I never -"

"You should probably put a Q on your utility belt." He looked over her suit with open appreciation. And yet managed not to leer, or linger anywhere inappropriate. Her pulse jumped. "So people know it's you." He took another glance down at her waist, and hit her with a face full of sass.

Daisy regained enough composure to take up the baton. "That's really smart, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Make fun of the person who can literally turn you to dust." She poked him in the chest, and was rewarded with a tiny zing of electricity from the contact.

"Yeah, no I get it. You can quake me. That's why they call you that."

Just as she'd caught up to the rhythm of his (rather unimaginative) banter, the ship rocked, and they were consumed by more pressing issues.

****

Docked on the Chronicom ship in the Zephyr, Daniel was tempted to follow Daisy on her attempt to retrieve Simmons and Shaw. But he knew he'd only slow her down, and all this would be for nothing if they couldn't bust out of this joint when she got back. So he volunteered to assist the director, instead.

For about four seconds, he thought he could let her go with a professional nod. But the stakes were even higher here than they'd anticipated. 

"Daisy," he called, and strode after her.

He wouldn't ask her to make a promise she might not be able to keep, like "come back in one piece." And he wouldn't burden her with a dramatic profession of love. But he had to say something.

"Yeah?" she turned back as he approached.

He stopped in front of her with no idea what to say. So instead, he reached an arm around her waist and leaned in to kiss her. He breathed her in, and clung to the moment. 

She broke away, but gave him a smile that stopped his heart, and leaned back in to return the kiss. He felt her lips smiling against his.

"Didn't know I was going to do that," he admitted softly. 

"I'm glad you did."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist a tiiiiiny bit of fix-it with the plan to defeat the Chronicoms. Welcome to my headcanon 🙂

Fitz and Deke rapidly revised Fitz's grand scheme so they could bring the Chronicoms back to their original timeline and battle them there. It all sounded promising.

"But," Fitz said ( - _there's always a but_ \- ), "someone will have to - "

"Stay behind and set it up and turn it on, yeah," Deke finished. "We have to break up the band."

"I don't know if that matters. 'Cause this - this is the last mission together, isn't it?" Daisy looked around at her family, bereft. _So what? We're losing each other anyway._ She was vaguely aware she wasn't making sense - just lashing out when she didn't want to lose anyone.

"How could you know that?" Fitz looked at her, stunned.

"Enoch told us," Jemma explained in a moment of clarity, "before he died."

"Yeah. That's true," Fitz affirmed. "In fact, no matter what the outcome, this will be the last time we're all in the same room together. Ever." 

That was an unexpected blow. The mission wasn't even over. _Do we even get time to say goodbye?_

"I'll stay," said Sousa.

Cold gripped Daisy's spine. _No. Not you_. She looked at him blankly. 

"I belong here. I've already been given the privilege of a second chance, of meeting all you fine people." He clasped Deke's shoulder, then turned to take Daisy's hands in his.

Her mind reeled. Daniel should have been part of her future. He never did anything but support her - he wasn't supposed to _choose to leave her behind_. But here he was, saying goodbye like he was making some big, noble sacrifice when all he was really doing was hurting her.

A rude nose interrupted his speech.

And suddenly Daisy was processing an entirely different goodbye.

****

The rush of activity abated when they entered the Quantum Realm - whatever that was. Like the pause between breaths, there was a moment of stillness and transition for them to regroup.

Daniel looked for Daisy, hoping to apologise or explain for offering to stay behind. 

"Don't," she objected when he found her, throwing up a hand to block him. "You're a stupid... jerk, and I don't want to hear it." Her insults were fairly toothless, but she emphasized her words by turning to stalk away.

"Daisy, wait!" he called after her. He winced at himself and followed after. Normally, he would take his cue and give her space. Right now, he was afraid they didn't have the time. "Okay, I won't - look, if you don't want to hear it right now, I understand." 

She stopped in an alcove and rounded to face him. He ducked in with her, away from prying eyes and - he hoped - ears. He'd promised the director only hours ago that he wouldn't hurt Daisy, under threat of violence from the very team now assembled on this ship. And then he'd tried to stay behind.

"I'll listen instead." He looked at her earnestly, studying the expression on her face. She looked annoyed, glaring at him. But he saw shades of genuine anger, fear, hopelessness.

Her eyes searched his face for a moment. He couldn't tell what she found there, but he saw the anger fade from hers. 

"You were going to leave me," her voice was raw. He remembered the sadness on her face when he'd described his jealousy of another man who sacrificed himself, and wondered if there was a Steve Rogers in Daisy's past. And now he'd just… _Oh, Daisy, I'm sorry._

She covered her outburst with petulance and a lighter tone. "I know you're the stupid, self-sacrificing heroic type, and you'd do anything I ask." She crossed her arms and looked up at him with a defiant glare. "But I didn't ask you to leave. Or stay behind - whatever. Okay? So just don't."

"I'm sorry." He put his hands under her elbows and drew her in against him. He stroked her arms with his thumbs and spoke into her hair. "I didn't want you to lose anyone else on the team. I can see they're your family. I figured I'm, ah - expendable."

"You're stupid," Daisy countered. She relaxed against him, uncrossing her arms to hold him around the waist.

"Yeah. So you said. A few times. You going to stop that anytime soon?"

"Nope. Don't feel like it."

"If that's how you want to play it, Quake."

She poked his ribs, stepped back, and heaved in a breath. "Come on. We still have to stop the space robots. Let's go figure this out."

"There's always something," he muttered.

****

While Simmons processed the partial return of her memories, Fitz took Mack, Daisy, and Coulson aside where Simmons couldn't hear, and told them about Alya.

"Jemma has to remember Alya on her own, or her memories might collapse. But that's what she and I've got riding on the line. Alya can't lose her parents."

"That's how we're going to win," Coulson realized. "Sibyl plays the safe odds. But we'll take every risk - for family. And if we lay it all out on the line, hold nothing back, Sibyl might be able to see each possibility - "

"But she won't predict that she has to counter them all. Yeah, that could work," Fitz mused. "For family."

"Kora," blurted Daisy. "We need to rescue Kora." 

Fitz puffed his cheeks and blew out a huff of air. "We're back to square one. The Chronicoms still have the location of every S.H.I.E.L.D. base on the planet."

"Let's get everyone in on this. Meet in the lab in five," Mack ordered.

****

"Alright, one team will take the Quinjet to the temple, and clean up there. The other will take the Zephyr to the Chronicom fleet," Mack decided. "Now how do we actually stop them?"

****

"They don't have Garrett to teleport into the Lighthouse with Chronibombs," May pointed out. "So they'll have to take it with ground forces."

****

"I'm sorry, but just having empathy never stopped an invasion in Earth's history before, why is it supposed to work now?" Daisy objected.

"Because they don't have brains, they have programming," Simmons realized. "If we wipe theirs...Enoch's data core should help tip the scales."

"How is that even supposed to work, though? I get that Sibyl can broadcast commands to the hunters, but you can't just... broadcast a superpower, can you?" Daniel asked.

Fitz and Simmons looked to each other and nodded. "We're on it."

****

"Kora is still the key. She can boost the signal," said Fitz.

"It won't be enough power for all of them," Coulson calculated. "We can reprogram lots of them over a short range and take care of the fleet - "

"Or focus a narrow band at long range to get their ground forces, yeah." Fitz finished.

"I can take out the ships," Daisy said. "Take every risk, right? Lay it all out on the line? So we use the signal on their ground troops. That'll keep you guys in the Lighthouse safe - and ensure there are no freaking evil robots left on Earth when this is over." The flurry of activity in the lab paused, and everyone looked at Daisy, stunned. 

"Fitz, you said I can't take Malick out without dying, right?"

"No, he's too experienced now. It'll take too much power to stop him. Enough to destroy the ship you're standing on when you try," he admitted.

"So I don't take him out. I distract him while Coulson, May, and my sister broadcast the signal. You get out, and then I'll blow the ship. All the ships. You're sure Kora can use her power to heal?"

"Yes, she can," Fitz affirmed.

"Get ahead of my shockwave, then come find me." Daisy took a breath. "Fast. I can protect myself from the blast, but not from space," she added with a rueful shake of her head.

"That puts your life on your sister changing sides. You sure this is what you want?" Mack looked at her intently.

"She's family," Daisy said simply.

"Somebody get a locator on Johnson," Mack ordered.

****

Daniel caught up with Daisy outside the lab.

"Okay, okay, okay, I know. I'm a hypocrite. But she's my sister, and I already left her behind once. I won't do it again," she started before he even tried to say anything.

"Yeah. I get it. Long lost sister. Fate of all humanity and all that." He circled his arms around her waist. "I know your type."

"My - what, now?"

"Focused on the greater good, even at your own expense. Hell hath no fury like yours if I try to sacrifice anything _for you_ , but you'll die to save the world. And you'll want me to be here to pick you back up after you slam into this - brick wall." He stared at her, trying to memorize every detail of her face as they prepared to split off on different teams.

"I will, will I?" She murmured, looking up at him with a quizzical expression.

He gave her a tight, confident smile, and nodded. "Yeah, you will. Cat's out of the bag, sweetheart." He continued earnestly, "So you need to do this - I know that - and I won't get in your way. Just… will you promise me you'll try to come back alive?"

She smirked. "We do that a lot around here," she shrugged.

"Daisy, I - " his heart caught in his throat, and he was speechless.

She reached for his neck and pulled his mouth to hers. He sank into the kiss, and her lips parted. His stomach swooped as he realized that the kiss did not taste of desperation or goodbye - but of possibility and promise.

"That's an awfully compelling reason not to go into the light," she breathed out, resting her forehead against his.

"Good."

****

Daisy looked up at her sister, proud - and, frankly, relieved. She could hear Mack, and see Coulson. She heard a sigh of relief that sounded like May. 

"This is what we were fighting for," Coulson said. He was looking at her, but speaking to Kora. Daisy, after all, already knew the answer.

She looked up at Kora. "Family," she explained weakly. Her lungs burned at the effort it took to speak. She turned her head to Coulson. "Everyone else?" 

"Safe," he assured her.

"Good." She smiled with relief, and her vision blurred at the edges, then faded out with her consciousness.

When Daisy came to, she was unsurprised to hear the thrum of the healing chamber. She'd done what she could to reduce the risk of permanent damage with only her Quake suit to protect her in space, as instructed by Simmons - exhaled, closed her eyes and mouth. But it was still space. And she'd channeled an unprecedented amount of power through her entire body. She'd known she'd come out in rough shape. 

She kept her eyes closed and her breath steady, needing a private moment to take stock. The skin on her face felt tight, probably from exposure to the sun; and her joints ached - decompression sickness. Her throat was dry. Basically everything else in her body throbbed. 

When she finally opened the chamber and sat up, she was surprised to find Coulson at her side instead of Sousa. Which was just as well - a wave of nausea almost knocked her back down, which she resisted - Coulson would at least let her sit up without a fuss. Probably.

"We've been taking it in shifts. It was the only way to get your boyfriend to sleep in a bunk," he answered before she could ask.

"He's not my - " she cut herself off, unsure that it was an accurate objection. "Shut up."

"And for my next trick: 16 hours, and we're en route to the new HQ in DC. I think takeoff woke you up."

"So we finally made it to tomorrow, huh?" she quipped weakly.

"We finally did. That's the good news. The bad news is that Simmons wants you at S.H.I.E.L.D. Medical ASAP. And I think Mack wants to be somewhere with windows. We only waited long enough for her to clear you for transport."

"I'm fi - " she started.

"Fine, I know. Humor her. She just wants to make sure you're in good hands." Coulson was humoring _her,_ she knew. She was fine for someone who had just died, which wasn't the same thing as actually fine.

"Wait, won't Jemma be here?" Daisy's throat caught at the realization.

"They want to get Alya settled as soon as they can. Can you believe it, she's never even been on a planet before?" Coulson paused, leaving the impending dissolution of the team hanging between them. "I'll go let them know you're awake," he said softly.

Visit by visit, Daisy learned about the team's next steps. They'd all be debriefed at HQ, but the Fitzsimmons family ( _family!_ ) would be on a plane for the UK in a matter of days. Coulson still wanted to travel, and Yo-Yo was already itching for another mission. Everyone else had longer business with HQ, even Kora. Daisy was grateful these weren't goodbyes. _Yet._

Daniel was the last one in, as she began to tire. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his shoulder holster, flashing her a devastating smile. "Hey," he said, "Shouldn't you be lying down?"

Without waiting for an answer, he drew a chair near the head of the chamber and settled in.

She laid back down with a grin. "Every single time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here ends my run with the canon rewrite portion of our tale. I'm going to take a few days before my next update to make sure the rest of the story is in good shape before I start posting again. But I'll be back soon! 
> 
> Just to give you an idea of where I'm headed, in case it is/isn't your kind of thing, it's mostly fluff connecting the dots between point A (defeating the Chronicoms) and point B (one year later).


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: discussion of ableism
> 
> See notes at the end regarding a certain character appearance.

Daniel's debriefing at HQ had felt fairly routine - especially the part when they scheduled him to return the next day "to go over a few more questions." 

His checkup at S.H.I.E.L.D. Medical was a little more unusual. Simmons' work was certainly at the forefront of advancements in prosthetics, but he'd never anticipated so many _options_. Something to think about. He almost missed using his cane in public, though. Reactions used to help him judge character. Being underestimated in the field had its advantages, too. Not exactly humanizing, but highly practical. 

But what really set his mind spinning was the lunch appointment on his schedule for the next day: 12:00, meet w/Steve Rogers at Silver Diner - Time Displacement Orientation, with an address. Apparently, the falling out that Daisy mentioned hadn't stuck.

Of course S.H.I.E.L.D. had a protocol for agents pulled out of time. Of course. He wondered if Peggy had anticipated the need herself, or if it had been developed in response to Captain America's de-icing.

He wished Daisy was awake to tease him about it, but she'd been out cold since he returned to her room at Medical. He looked at her from his chair, catching the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. It was a relief that she was resting so well here. It was concerning that she wasn't fighting it more.

He pinned the loose pant leg up over his residual limb and reclined the chair, settling in to sleep. He'd been assigned temporary quarters in a safehouse along with the remaining team, but he'd only stopped in to shower and store a few things. At least the recliner was more comfortable than the chairs on the Zephyr. And he slept better when he could see her.

****

Waking up in medical facilities was starting to wear on Daisy's patience. She rolled over to relieve the strain in a few muscles. It only served to shift her pain points, but it brought Daniel into view, and she relaxed a little.

She debated waking him up. Judging by the clock - it was near midnight - she'd been out for the better part of the past 30 hours. She remembered her conversations with the team on the Zephyr, and had vague impressions of the staff here hovering around her. That was all she could conjure since Kora had first revived her. Sousa would probably want to know that she'd come out of it, but she wasn't sure the last time he'd slept on something resembling a bed.

In the end, the debate was settled for her when assorted medical staff in scrubs entered the room and started making a fuss. Apparently, she was hooked up to something that alerted them when she woke up. Sousa stirred in the hubbub, and retreated to give her privacy, supported by a crutch she hadn't seen before.

When the final doctor started to leave the room, Sousa reappeared from the hallway to ask a question. The doctor looked to Daisy, who nodded her permission.

"How much can Daisy get up and move around?" 

She rolled her eyes.

The doctor repeated her instructions: "As much as she can with mild to moderate discomfort. _Stop_ when there's pain. That includes using her powers," she left the room with an acerbic look at Daisy, muttering about hard-headed agents.

In truth, Daisy didn't much feel like getting up, although she did appreciate that she could adjust the hospital bed to support her back while she sat, unlike the healing chamber.

"You should go sleep in a bed. Or a bunk. Wherever they have you," she said to Sousa as he crossed back to his chair.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked, hovering over the chair.

"I want you to get some decent sleep," she hedged.

"Daisy, do you want me to go?" he repeated gently.

She shook her head silently. In the unfamiliar surroundings, without the team nearby, and feeling vulnerable while she healed, Daniel's steady presence was a grounding force.

A little embarrassed, she looked for something else in the room to focus on. She noticed the silver case that held his prosthetic tucked in the corner of the room, with his shoes and a black leather bag that looked suspiciously suitable for a few small toiletries. 

He sat down on the side of her bed, propping his crutch near his side, and lightly rested his left hand at her right side. "I'm here for you as long as you want me," he said quietly. "Or until my next debriefing, anyway," he continued in a lighter tone. "You'll never guess who they've got me meeting with tomorrow afternoon."

"Captain America," Daisy stated with a grin.

"What - how? You knew," he accused with a satisfying glare.

"Coulson told me yesterday. Standard protocol in your…case. Not that this happens much. I don't think. He's _super_ jealous, by the way."

"I'll tell him Coulson says hello," Sousa offered.

"He actually specifically said not to mention him. I didn't really follow why - something about vintage trading cards, clearance levels, and being a robot," Daisy shrugged, relaxing into the easy banter. " _Some_ of it made sense."

"Got it." He paused. "Hey, I have to ask - nothing?" Sousa indicated his residual limb, tucked between them on the bed. His tone was casual, but he was looking down where she couldn't see his expression. "No reaction?"

"Full disclosure, ableism is still a thing. But, yeah, I mean - no, your leg is not the first prosthetic Fitzsimmons made for someone on the team. Didn't anyone ever mention Yo-Yo's arms?"

"Arms. Plural?" He looked incredulous. And adorable. "Also, can you drop the 'didn't we mention' crap, pardon my French? You people didn't mention a lot."

"Fair point," Daisy acknowledged. 

"I didn't even know she had super speed until two days ago. And apparently I can put a whole library on my phone, now? I'm starting to see why nobody looks at each other on the street anymore." 

"Okay, okay, stop, I get your point," she relented with a playful shove.

Daniel caught her fingers and looked into her eyes. Her heart pounded in her ears.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"For what?" she asked, holding her breath.

"Coming back."

"Thank you for picking me back up."

They gazed at each other until Daisy's yawn interrupted the moment. She winced and rolled her eyes.

"Get some rest," he said with a light squeeze of her hand.

Sleep claimed her as soon as he sat in his chair.

****

As Daniel surveyed the diner, he felt surprisingly at ease. It wasn't like he'd walked straight back in time - there was a flat screen television over the counter, and at least three people with hair in colors that he'd never seen growing out of a person's head - but it was familiar. 

Rogers, not S.H.I.E.L.D., must have picked the location. 

He clocked undercover security drinking coffee at a two top by a closed door at the back of the room. The woman nodded to him.

The door bore a sign denoting that he was entering a private event room. Inside, Rogers - who must've arrived early, as Daniel was punctual - rose to greet him with a handshake. 

"Chief Sousa," he said by way of greeting, "good to meet you. Peggy told me a lot about you."

Daniel's mood lifted. "So she got to see you again - before." 

Rogers nodded as they sat. 

It was difficult to know that his friend, who from his perspective had been running S.H.I.E.L.D. as a relatively young woman only a week or so prior, was now dead - after a very long life. But learning that she'd seen Steve Rogers again? _Imagine that._

They busied themselves with small talk and ordering while they both assessed each other and respectfully avoided discussing Peggy any further. Daniel was surprised how young Rogers seemed. The math annoyed him too much to bother with it, but it was clear that Rogers was closer to the war than Daniel was.

"So I bet I'm on your schedule for the day - part of some regimen to get you oriented to the 21st century so they can get you back to the job?" Rogers asked after the waiter took their orders and left the room.

"The job kind of dragged me through the '70s and '80s first, but yeah, that's more or less accurate," Daniel replied. 

"Look, there's no manual for this."

"I think that's why they sent me to you." Not that he expected easy answers, of course.

"Yeah, I see your point." Rogers mused silently for a minute. "I can really only tell you what helped me - and what didn't."

Daniel nodded. That was more than he really expected to get.

"It's kind of like getting furlough in France. You gotta dive in and try things out, talk to people, eat the food - all of that. Some things will be familiar, like this diner. Some won't - "

"Like elephant pants," Daniel groused. Rogers raised an eyebrow. "It was the 70s."

Rogers seemed to consider him. "Why didn't you stay in the 70s? Closer to your time, people you knew would still be alive - that would've made sense to me."

Daniel heard unspoken weight in the question. If he gave the wrong answer, Rogers would keep to the useful but superficial, they'd have a somewhat awkward lunch, and part ways. If he gave the right one, he might get something more valuable out of this conversation. He just wasn't sure if Rogers would think the honest answer was the right one. He cleared his throat and studied his pastrami on rye.

"If it helps, I'm not really here because S.H.I.E.L.D. asked. But Peggy would've wanted me to come," Rogers said.

"Her name is Daisy."

"Ahh," Rogers replied. "You love her?"

"I do."

"Okay," his tone was warm and approving. He looked at Daniel intently, and continued, "Don't be the one to make the sacrifice play." For a second, grief shrouded his face. Rogers was haunted by more than the war. 

"Understood." Daniel let the moment pass, then added, "I maybe kind of tried that already. It didn't go over well. You know what, could you actually give that advice to her?"

Rogers laughed. "Not a chance."

Daniel left the lunch with the information for a discreet veteran's support group, Rogers' cell phone number, and a small piece of lined paper with "Marvin Gaye, Troubleman 1972" written at the top.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to clarify a few things about where this Steve Rogers fits into the grand scheme of things, since the timeline is a little muddy.
> 
> This Cap is post- Infinity War, pre-Endgame. Or at least before most of Endgame - before that 5-year time jump (2023). We know AoS season 5 ends in 2018, because Thanos' attack is imminent. It's not super clear how much time passes in season 6, but we know the bulk of the season 7 action ends basically hours later because of time travel shenanigans. So it's probably safe to say that season 7 takes place before 2023. So this Cap is not currently a fugitive/outlaw, and he will still eventually go on to travel back in time to return the stones and live his life with Peggy.
> 
> I couldn't resist a nod to Sam, which I know brings us uncomfortably close to the whole Snap/Blip conundrum with AoS canon. But I love Falcon, and he helped Cap adjust to the 21st century, which is what Cap is doing for Sousa here, so I ran with it.
> 
> I want to acknowledge that is hard to know if Peggy could have told Steve anything about Sousa. In Winter Soldier, she seems to have some form of short term memory loss, possibly dementia. From their scene, it doesn't seem likely that they could have a conversation long enough where they'd get around to talking about him. So maybe Steve is just being polite. He knows who Sousa is from S.H.I.E.L.D., and he doesn't want to tell Sousa about Peggy's memory loss. 
> 
> OR... Memory loss isn't necessarily straightforward. In Civil War, Sharon tells Steve that she didn't tell Peggy that she was assigned to watch Steve, because she didn't want Peggy to have to keep a secret from him. So that shows Peggy could recall new information, at least sometimes. So maybe Steve and Peggy DID get around to talking about Peggy's life in detail.
> 
> What's that, you say? Why yes, I DID overthink this one scene! How did you know?


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

When Daisy woke up in the morning, she finally felt like moving around. She removed her covers, eased herself gingerly off the bed, and took a few tentative steps. She felt brittle. _Unsurprising when you're basically one, big walking microcrofracture. Emphasis on fracture, not on walking._

Sousa and his shoes were gone, but his crutch and cases were still neatly arranged in the corner. He'd left a note indicating he'd be back in the afternoon. Daisy looked at it, bemused by his dedication to… sitting next to her while she was asleep?

Someone knocked at the door, and Daisy's eyes flew to the clock. It was still morning; she knew that. She blushed at her eagerness to see Sousa, and invited the mystery guest in.

"Oh good, you're up and about!" Jemma chimed. She entered the room carrying a styrofoam container. "I brought breakfast."

"Oh, thank God, I'm starving."

Jemma helped Daisy get situated in the chair with the swinging hospital table and a plate of bacon, eggs, and pancakes.

"Where are Fitz and Alya?" Daisy asked between mouthfuls. "I really hope I can meet her" _before you leave._

Simmons studied Daisy's chart as she answered, "I've just come to HQ to finish my debriefing. I thought I'd check and see if you would be up for visitors later. Alya can be quite a handful."

"Does Alya need credentials to get in here?' Daisy wondered.

"Mack will sort it out. He wants to know if you'd like to talk about the next mission he has in mind for you." 

Daisy's heart sank a little at the mention of "you," rather than "us."

"He didn't want to bother you while you're recuperating, but he thought you might like something to focus on." She continued to review Daisy's charts.

"Yeah - no, he's right. I'll text him, thanks. Jemma - "

"This is good. It looks like you're scheduled for PT and several hours in a healing chamber today, and they can release you under observation as long - " she continued, avoiding Daisy's look.

"Jemma," Daisy interrupted firmly, "I'm so happy for you." Jemma looked up at her and smiled. "You and Fitz deserve a little happily ever after, after… well, everything."

They looked at each other, eyes watering, and Jemma sat down.

"I missed you so much while we were gone," she said. "It was good to be back for a while."

"Well, hey, at least you won't be entire star systems away this time," Daisy pointed out.

"Mmm well I wouldn't count on that," Jemma speculated. "Mack won't talk about this new mission - he says it's classified. But I think he's feeling me out about consulting on xenobiology." She punctuated the announcement by stealing a piece of bacon.

"Hey! That's my breakfast!" Jemma shrugged sweetly. "So space, huh? I think I can work with that." _Sousa would love it._

"I'll let Mack know you'll be able to talk to him about it tomorrow," Jemma said, eyeing the note on the table pointedly.

"Ah…" Daisy felt her cheeks warm, and searched for a different topic.

"No, come on, you brushed me off back in the Lighthouse, and there's clearly something going on there. My _grandson_ stayed in an alternate timeline for you two."

Daisy groaned. "That was not the only reason."

"Please? I'm leaving tomorrow…" Jemma wheedled.

"Tomorrow. Wow." Daisy sighed. "Okay, fine. I give up. You win." She tossed a wadded up napkin at her friend with a short laugh. "I mean, I don't know. He follows me around like a giant puppy, and I'm kinda into it."

"And by 'kinda into it,' you mean you're head over heels."

"Okay, yeah," Daisy admitted. "I don't get it. Two weeks ago, the guy was a history lesson. Now…"

"He's there for you, and you fit together. It's simple, really." 

"Simple," Daisy echoed.

"Plus he's gorgeous," Jemma added, and the two women shared a warm laugh.

As they chatted, Daisy tried not to dwell on their impending goodbyes.

****

Director Mackenzie's office was intimidating. Which was saying something, considering the man had already threatened him with the wrath of an entire S.H.I.E.L.D. team only a few days prior.

"I'm back two days and the brass are trying to domesticate me with all of this," Mack indicated the sprawling desk before him, framed by the sprawling DC cityscape behind him, visible through floor to ceiling windows.

"You are the director, sir," Daniel pointed out. 

"Hmm. I am at that. Still, I've got something a little more mobile in mind," he said cryptically. "But I didn't call you in here to talk about office space. Or maybe I did. Have a seat."

Daniel sat accordingly, facing the director across the desk.

"I get the impression you weren't too put out about leaving your office behind when we pulled you out of '55," he stated, leaning back in his chair with his fingers steepled.

"Leaving my life, yeah I was. The desk job, not so much," Daniel agreed.

"There are a dozen jobs around here at HQ I could offer the former West Coast Security Chief, if you want me to. Just so you know it's an option."

"Thank you, sir, but I would rather be in the field. Although I am a little concerned about how my, ah, lack of contemporary knowledge might affect the mission," Daniel admitted.

"I have some thoughts on that, don't worry. I just wanted to be sure I'm considering you for the right assignments."

"I think you know I'd like to work with Agent Johnson." Daniel couldn't fathom the purpose of this meeting. Director Mackenzie had other people to handle formalities like taking assignment requests from agents. And Mack already knew what Daniel wanted. 

"I'm sure you would. I have some things to go over with her, but she'll probably be choosing her team herself. So that's up to her" 

_Ah. Good man._

The director continued, leaning forward. "But you will have options. Do you want field assignments to be the only ones on the list?"

It was kind of Mack - and shrewd of the director - to offer him a desk job. It would give him purpose, an anchor in the 21st century. And it would be relatively safe (although he wouldn't lose sight of the fact that it was the desk job that signed his death certificate in '55). But he preferred the pace and the challenge of the field, and the tangible feel of having a positive impact on the world. No agent's time on active duty could last forever, and Daniel would like to appreciate this second chance as long as he could.

"Just field assignments," Daniel confirmed with an appreciative nod.

"Okay, then. Dismissed." Mack stood up and Daniel followed suit. "I'm guessing I won't see you back at the safe house tonight."

"Not for long, no." Daniel started to walk to the door, but turned back. "The desk suits you, sir."

"Not too much, I hope." Mack smiled.

"No, sir."

****

As an orderly wheeled Daisy back to her room after a round of PT, she thought back on the Fitzsimmons' evening visit.

Saying goodbye to Jemma and Fitz was not the kind of goodbye that Daisy was used to. Most, like anyone's, were the ordinary and transient goodbyes to the casual acquaintances who visit our lives. Some were permanent farewells to those she would never get to see again, like Deke, Bobbi and Hunter, and even her father, in a way. Too many were the departure of death. 

Fitzsimmons' retirement was permanent, but they weren't really leaving Daisy's life. Not inaccessibly so. They just… wouldn't be around every day. Or at all.

It was still awful.

But they'd be out there where she could find them when she wanted to. And Alya deserved parents who came home safely every day. Seeing her with Fitz and Jemma was a joy.

_People arrive, so we celebrate; and people leave us, so we grieve,_ Enoch's words echoed. He had, after all, been talking about these very partings.

She certainly hadn't celebrated Kora's arrival. _Hi, sis, I hate your boyfriend, so let's blast you against a wall._ There was a lot of ground to make up there. Kora had been to visit her today, but not when Daisy was awake - as she'd learned from a nurse. She hoped they could make a better start soon.

As they neared her door, Daisy's heart thumped a bit faster, wondering if Sousa had returned (he'd left during her friends' visit, ostensibly to shower, but really to give them privacy). After eschewing the possibility of any romance in her life for years, the giddy anticipation felt a little silly. _But fun._

Inside, Sousa was sitting in his recliner with a new laptop open on the table beside him, watching YouTube videos. Except he wasn't actually watching them. The laptop sat next to him while music played softly and Sousa sat with his hands on his thighs, looking off in another direction. He looked like he was sitting next to a radio - he'd discovered YouTube, but not multitasking.

"Hey," he said, with a frown as he took in the wheelchair, "are you okay?"

Daisy stood and thanked the orderly as she left. "No, I'm good, this is just patient transport." She heard the door close behind her. "Using a work-issued laptop for entertainment? We'll make a 21st century man out of you yet," she joked.

"Is this not okay?" He gave a worried glance to his laptop.

"It's fine. Everybody does it," she assured him.

He relaxed, and waxed _adorably_ poetic about the joys of YouTube.

"Hey, do you want to go for a walk?" Daisy suggested with a half turn to the door. "I'm a little… over this room."

They caught a natural rhythm with each other as they strolled slowly down the hallway, catching up on their respective days. By the time they reached the empty visitor's lounge at the end of the hall, Daisy's shins started to ache and they had to sit for her to recover. They sat facing each other in opposite rows of chairs.

"And Mack _still_ hasn’t said anything about my next mission,” Daisy complained.

“Does he typically assign missions 48 hours after his agents die?” Sousa snarked. 

"Whatever," she brushed it off. "So what about yours? Your next - your mission," she asked, trying to keep her voice light and neutral. _Are we on the same team?_ She might have yelled at him about trying to stay behind in 1983, but without a handy life-threatening crisis around to pull things into focus, talking about next steps was awkward.

Sousa's eyebrows raised a little, he fixed her with a flat smile, and he leaned forward. "Right now, my mission is to help you recuperate. After that, Mack asked if I'd like to get kicked upstairs. I told him no." He looked right into her eyes, and Daisy's breath shortened. "Getting back into the field after you all pulled me out of my time was the best thing that ever happened to me." He leaned back, casually. "He said there will be options."

_Options? What options?_ Thoughts flurried in Daisy's head. _I thought we'd just get assignments, hopefully together_ \- She considered his open, passive look. _He's giving me an out. She filed the thought away to examine later._

"Well I have some good news about your current mission," Daisy said, grinning. "Medical is letting me go tomorrow afternoon. I still have to come back every day for PT and a few treatments until they clear me. But I get to bunk in the safe house. So you don't have to sleep in a chair tomorrow night." She paused. "Not that you _have_ to, I mean."

Daniel gave her a look and a half shake of his head, like she was being absurd. "How are your legs? Ready to walk back?"

"I think so."

He stood and held out his hands to her, palms up. "Need help?"

"I don't know," she mused as she put her hands in his and let him pull her up towards him. He was solid and suddenly very close, and she was too distracted to tell whether or not she was in pain. "But I'll take it."

He wrapped a supportive arm around her waist, and she splayed her hand across his back.

"What's on your schedule for tomorrow?" she asked.

"An orientation to modern DC, and giving a trainee experience in asset handling," he replied.

"So basically a tour of the city."

"Basically, yes."

When they reached her door, they stopped and turned towards each other without letting go. 

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked.

"No," she replied.

And he followed her in to keep watch one last night.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: discussion of ableism

Daniel studied Daisy in the morning light as she slept. She was curled on her side, facing him, looking like she was finally getting proper rest. Her skin had more color, and she carried less tension around her eyes. 

He was concerned about the plans to discharge her today, though. She couldn't walk far without pain, and she tired easily. Recovery was a process. But, he supposed, if she could continue that process in a less lonely environment, it would be better for her. And the remaining members of Daisy's old team wouldn't be there long. Mack and Yo-Yo were looking for their own place, as was May. He got the impression that Coulson was waiting for Daisy to recover before saying goodbye. He wasn't sure what was next for Kora, though.

As he made his way to the bathroom to prep his residual limb and prosthetic for the day's use, he indulged a more selfish concern. Would Daisy actually want him on her new team? Her feelings for him were evident, much to his ongoing delight. But he was piecing together that Daisy had likely lost someone she loved. Daniel had long ago made his peace with what had - and hadn't - happened with Peggy. But he also had enough experience to know that Daisy might not want to risk that kind of loss again. 

But he wasn't just afraid that she wouldn't want to take the risk. Daniel realized he was genuinely curious about this person. Whoever it was, whatever their relationship was - that had a profound impact on the woman he loved. He'd learned so much about her back in that barn. Enough to follow her through time. But he'd only scratched the surface.

He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror with a wry grin. How the hell do you approach a conversation like that?

_Excuse me, honey, would you like to talk about your dead lover - I think - and if you might want to risk your heart on a future with me? By the way, I love you, and would very much like to ride off into the sunset to solve mysteries and save the world with you. What do you think?_

Daniel cringed at himself. It needed work. He exited the bathroom on his crutch, prosthetic in hand to allow the socket time to dry fully. Daisy was awake.

"Good morning," he greeted her. 

"Mmm. Morning," she replied groggily, sitting up. He watched her eyes shift from his detached prosthetic, to the bathroom, and back to his face. "Getting ready for your grand tour?" she surmised as she ran a hand through her hair.

He was, unfortunately, familiar with a variety of reactions to his limb difference (a term he'd recently learned from a website Yo-Yo suggested). Some people pretended not to see it, which made him feel like they weren't really seeing all of him. Others looked, but they stared or gave him embarrassed glances - as if he were responsible for making them feel guilty or awkward. But Daisy just saw _him._

More people here did, thankfully. Not everyone, but more.

"I'll need to drop by the safehouse to change. Do you want me to bring messages to anyone?" he offered. 

"Has anyone briefed you on the invention of the telephone yet, Sousa?" Daisy was evidently grumpy in the mornings.

He glared at her as he sat. "Kora doesn't have a cell phone yet, and the safehouse has satellite communications, not a landline," he pointed out.

Daisy scrawled a quick note for her sister, and Daniel lingered with her as long as he could before gathering his things to leave.

"I'll be back to pick you up when you're discharged," he promised.

Daisy was sitting on her bed with her legs dangling off the side. He leaned over her, cupped her jaw in his hands, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He left with his toes curling from the electric sensation of her hands holding his hips.

****

Daisy wasn't sure if Mack had requested that Medical have her transported to his office so she could get a break, or so that he could have home field advantage. Either way, the thin file sitting between them represented a bigger ask than she'd expected for her next mission. At least he'd brought lunch.

"Sentient World Ob - S.W.O.R.D.? No. That's ridiculous. Did you let Coulson name it?" Daisy accused Mack. 

"The question wasn't 'do you like the name,' it was 'will you help me get it off the ground?'' 

"I'm a field agent, Mack, what makes you think - "

"Between Asgard, Thanos, and the Confederacy, the government sees the need for an intergalactic response unit. And you have more experience in space or with aliens than any other active agent I've got. More than any of the Avengers - except the ones who actually are aliens," Mack started. 

"Okay, so put me on the unit, then. I'm good with that. But name it something else. Seriously, I'm not working on something called S.W.O.R.D.," Daisy objected.

"It's going to take senate subcommittees and budget meetings and 3,000 other miles of red tape to get this thing started. I could use someone at my side who can speak with firsthand experience about alien races and space travel. And who uh…" Mack trailed off.

"... signed the Sokovia Accords, has a catchy superhero name, and makes for good PR?" she filled in pointedly.

"Pretty much all that, yeah," he conceded. 

"Mack," she wheedled, drawing out his name.

"Look, Tremors, I could use you on this. And I thought you might like _a little_ time away from the field to get to know your sister. Maybe teach Sousa a couple of things about the 21st century."

Daisy did not think that sounded terrible. She chewed thoughtfully on the last bite of her burrito.

"And you'll need some lead time to choose and prep a team for space exploration," he offered, dangling a carrot.

"My own team?" She considered it for a moment. It actually sounded amazing, but… "Mack, I made a terrible leader."

"And you learned some important lessons. You've grown a lot, Daisy. You do have some shortcomings. Like how you can lose sight of the mission if you think something else serves the greater good." 

_Like with Wilfred Malick,_ Daisy conceded privately.

"Every mission serves an important purpose. And keeping to the mission is going to be your responsibility. So you should consider a second in command who can get you back on the right path when you need it. I recommend Sousa, but I have other candidates in mind if you want options. It's your choice."

He set aside his empty plate, wiped his hands with a napkin, and pulled out a thin pile of folders out for her to take.

_My choice_ , she considered, realizing that Mack wasn't just going to assign them to anything together unilaterally. Which was actually a wise approach. But it forced her to rethink her conversation with Sousa last night, when he'd offered her an out. Circumstances had thrown them together, and he'd clung to her. She swallowed, and her throat felt dry. A cold knot of fear told her that maybe Sousa had just latched on to her because he needed to be useful. Not for _her_ , really. After all, he barely knew her, so why -

"Daisy," Mack focused her attention. "You okay? Do you need to go back to Medical?"

"Sorry, no, I'm fine. Just tired." She shook her head and blinked. "So I get to pick my own team, huh?"

"You get to put in a request. You're not the only one heading up a new team. Yo-Yo is, too. She says she has dibs on Piper."

"Hey no fair, she can't just call dibs 'cause she's your girlfriend! I want - " 

"So that's a yes to S.W.O.R.D., then?" Mack prompted.

"You're the worst," she huffed, but she was smiling. "Yes, okay, I'll do it." 

"You're cleared to discuss this with Sousa. Anyone else, check with me first."

"Understood, sir. Do I at least get dibs on my own sister?" she asked.

"Fine, but don't tell her about the whole space thing yet. I don't want a raw recruit who was fighting for the enemy last week to know about a project I haven't even cleared with the government yet," he complained, not unfairly.

"Alright," he continued, "I'm supposed to have you back by exactly 13:00 hours for your next session in the healing chamber." Mack rose and stepped around his desk and indicated the wheelchair she'd abandoned for the leather seat in front of his desk. "But I do want to discuss your sister's training with you. Can I offer you a ride?" 

****

"May sent a change of clothes." Daniel proffered the bag May had given him as he entered Daisy's room.

"Ohhh, lifesaver," Daisy replied, eagerly taking the bag from him. "The Cavalry to the rescue."

"Wait - the Cavalry." Daniel could hear the capitalization. "Back in, ah - in '76, when you were out of it. I said the cavalry was on the way, and you thought I meant May." He was confused.

"It's her nickname," Daisy explained. "Wait, have you _not_ actually seen May fight yet?" They exchanged looks as they both replayed the events since their meeting and came up blank. "May's the best. One woman army."

Hell of a compliment from the woman who'd single-handedly blown up a fleet of spaceships.

Daisy took a few minutes in the bathroom to change, stuffed a packet of papers and a few files into May's bag, and announced, "Okay, I've got my discharge papers. Let's blow this popsicle stand."

"I'm going to guess that a popsicle stand is the same thing as a joint - "

"It is not," Daisy interrupted with a snicker.

"Okay," he drew out the word, confused. Daisy did not explain. "Well either way, there's a cab waiting outside." He took her bag and held the door. "How are you for walking that far?"

"Better than yesterday. Honestly I'm not sure how far I'll get, though. That's why they're sending me home in style," she slipped past him and presented the wheelchair waiting in the hallway with a mock flourish. She didn't get in it, though; she just started pushing it down the hallway.

"I think you're confused about how these things work."

"Relax, Sousa, I only have to use it when walking actually hurts." She stopped and turned, waiting for him to catch up with her.

"Seriously, what's it going to take to get you to call me Daniel?" he asked, closing the distance between them.

She took a breath to speak, then looked up at him and her response died on her lips. _Is she… blushing?_ He barely had time to notice it before she turned away again and started walking down the hallway. _Hmm._

Daisy lasted a few turns through the busy, byzantine hallways before she needed to get off her feet. 

"Mack asked if I think the academy is right for Kora. He thinks she might do better with training in the field, since she felt so restricted in Afterlife." Daisy explained as he pushed her down the hall.

"Kora wants to be an agent?" That explained what was keeping her so busy at HQ.

"She still wants to fight with her big sister wow that is going to take some getting used to," she tumbled the sentences on top of each other. "Anyway, I hope I can get May to agree to be her SO. She was mine."

"Why not you?"

"Me? No. A personal relationship with your SO is a terrible idea. I will help her train with her powers, though."

Daisy didn't mention anything from her meeting about forming a new team. Daniel considered asking. But if she wasn't saying anything, there must be a reason. Better to let her come around to it when she was ready. 

_Coward,_ he scolded himself. _You just don't want to ask for a future in case all she wants is the present._


	16. Chapter 16

"This is yours," Daniel indicated the door to one of the first floor units in the safehouse. "The kitchen is through there, with a common dining area," he pointed towards the back of the house. "And there are two sublevels: a gym and a small tactical hub. Nothing on the Lighthouse, but good for emergencies." 

"And yours?" Daisy asked, betting it was the door right across the hallway.

He pointed exactly where she expected. He was so predictable. _So why don't you know what he'll say about S.W.O.R.D.?_ she asked herself. 

Mack and Yo-Yo were out looking for a new place to live (between missions, anyway). Everyone else ordered Chinese for dinner and ate together. Kora, used to Jaiyang's more authentic cooking, thought that it tasted too sweet. May spoke with her in Chinese. Daisy felt a pinch of jealousy - she hadn't had the opportunity to learn that much about her heritage. Sousa let Coulson pepper him with questions about days of S.H.I.E.L.D. past. Daisy cherished every moment, knowing she had few opportunities to make memories like this.

When May and Daisy handled cleanup in the kitchen, Daisy took the time to talk to her mentor about Kora.

"Will you be my sister's SO? Mack wants her to train out in the field instead of at the academy. That's how you trained me, and I can't think of anyone better."

"I can't, I'm sorry," May said with uncharacteristic softness.

Daisy was a little embarrassed - she knew May could feel how much she'd been hoping May would agree.

"I would be honored," May assured her. "But I'll be teaching at the academy. Kora's SO will have to be with her in the field for it to work." She paused. "What about Sousa? You know he'd say yes."

"Hmm," Daisy said, noncommittal.

"Maybe somebody with a more updated skill set. Not that the guy can't handle himself. But Daisy, you have to talk to him," she said firmly.

"Look at you, dealing with emotions and personal relationships," Daisy said with mock surprise, but genuine admiration. "You'll be great at the academy."

****

Daniel walked into the kitchen as May and Daisy finished cleaning up. May left with a nod to Daniel, and a cryptic look at Daisy.

"I figured you'd want to spend time with your sister tonight, so I picked something up at the store." 

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and an expression she seemed to reserve for him, like she was bracing for something unexpected but a little silly. It was unnerving, but not unpleasant. He opened the freezer and pulled out a bag with two pints of ice cream.

"The internet suggested this is an important part of 21st century girl bonding," he said, holding it out to her.

She took it with a bewildered smile, then fixed him with a sideways look and laughed. "Only you could go to the internet for advice on women and find the one thing that isn't toxic sludge. Thanks." She paused. "But seriously, be careful out there. The internet can be a scary place."

"Duly noted."

"Hey, would you want to take a walk later? Just once around the block or something? I'm getting tired of sitting around." She sounded overly casual - and a little vulnerable, like she expected him to say no.

"I'll wait up," he promised.

She snorted, and the brief glimpse of vulnerability vanished. "Wait up? Sousa, it's like eight o'clock. Do you have a _bedtime_?" she taunted. 

He preferred her insults to her doubts. 

Daniel stepped close enough to Daisy to feel a sizzling tingle of anticipation, but didn't touch her. "I'm a square, remember?" He put his hands in his pockets, and raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't sneak off base after hours to fraternize."

Daisy crossed her arms over her chest and fixed him with a look that gave him a heady rush. "Oh yeah?" 

"Except with a girl like you." He grinned at her, leaning in until her face tilted up towards his, and stepped away to pull spoons out of a drawer for her.

Daisy took the utensils. She looked a little unsteady on her feet as she left the room.

Daniel leaned against the counter, staring after her as she left. Somehow, flirting had become the easiest part of their relationship, even though he'd been so anxious at first about keeping his attraction in check. Now that their mutual interest was out in the open, it felt natural to act on it. But neither of them would touch the subject of the future. She was obviously afraid to lose anyone. But he didn't want to overestimate how much of her vulnerability was because she didn't want to lose him, specifically - or anyone at all while her team disbanded around her.

How could he assure Daisy that he wasn't going anywhere without also asking for more than she might be ready to offer?

****

As Daisy and Sousa approached the safehouse at the end of their walk, Daisy started to lean on him more. Treatment at Medical was going well, but she'd channeled her last quake through her entire body. It was a miracle she'd maintained enough control not to melt her own bones with the force of the blast, and healing those microfractures was still a work in progress. She wasn't in pain - barely - but there was an uncomfortable prickling sensation in her lower back.

So far, they'd talked about everything they could think of on their short walk: the concept of viral videos, the painstaking process of getting Sousa cleared for active duty, whether academy students would ever pass May's classes. Everything except their next missions.

Sousa had promised that his mission now was to help her recover. She trusted that promise. But she couldn't bring herself to break the bubble of affection and support they shared now by raising the subject of the future. 

"Kora is excited that I want to help her train with her powers, even though I don't know the first thing about energy manipulation," she said, wrapping her arm around Sousa's waist. “But I do know a few things about managing a dangerous power safely. And Fitzsimmons are going to text me the names of some people in Sci-Tech that they trust to help.”

“She’s lucky to have you looking out for her,” Sousa replied, dropping a kiss on the top of her head as they entered the house.

“Yeah, well, I’ve been there. Young and clinging to whoever or whatever comes along. Malick did a serious number on her head.” They stopped in front of her door. Daisy stepped back from Sousa, looked at her shoes and rubbed her arms. “Everybody needs someone to believe in them. Some of us need it a little more.” She paused and glanced up at Sousa. He was studying her face, letting her work through her thoughts. “I was lucky I had Coulson. I hope I can help.”

"You will," he said simply. "Do you need a hand getting into bed?" 

Daisy shifted her weight around, testing her back. Discomfort, but no pain. She shook her head. But she didn't want him to go, either. "Hey, you - " she pushed a finger into his chest " - promised me fraternization."

"What, that didn't count?" he said with mock confusion, jerking his thumb at the outside door to indicate their walk.

"Nope." She raised an eyebrow in challenge.

To her surprise, Daniel opened her door and pulled her inside with a dizzying kiss. He was still, of course, a frustratingly perfect gentleman. But he made her want to rush to the end of her recovery, when there might be a possibility of something more. 

Even if she was afraid the future would pull them apart. That was a problem for another day.

Daniel left her alone to sleep, and when she woke up the next morning, she was still alone. She’d slept well - aside from a nightmare about needles and knives that woke her briefly. Despite the nightmare, and because she’d managed it well enough, she felt fully rested. It was the first time she’d slept without Daniel in a chair by her side since 1976, and she didn’t need him. 

That was good. That was healthy.

She hated it. 

Daisy _wanted_ Daniel to be there in the morning. And when she fell asleep. For them to be with each other in the simplest way possible - what he'd wanted for her all along, and what she'd found in him: rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll post chapters 17 + 18 tomorrow. 18 is a short epilogue, so I don't want to make you wait for it.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last full chapter before the epilogue. Enjoy!

Over the course of the next week, Daisy and Daniel developed a routine. He helped her get to S.H.I.E.L.D Medical in the morning, and back to the safehouse after lunch. At night, she helped him with his questions about the 21st century, and listened to his stories about the life he'd lost in the 20th.

She never even opened the candidate files Mack had given her as other options for her second in command. But she didn't bring it up with Sousa, either. She was afraid to lose him.

He never asked the director about the list of options for his next assignment. But he didn't ask Daisy about her new team, either. He was afraid to push her.

They had their own business to attend to. She spent time getting to know her sister, and letting go of the team. He attended briefings and training designed to get him up to date, and quietly grieved his old life.

But they ended every night together, and Daniel left her with a kiss that grew harder to break. Every morning, Daisy wished he'd be there when she opened her eyes.

****

Coulson left for the airport on a gray, muggy morning, with as little fanfare as he likely could manage. Daisy looked him over as he stood by the car, studying his suit and weather-worn face as if she couldn't conjure the image from memory.

When the human Coulson had died, Daisy thought of a thousand things she wanted to say to him if she could have just a little more time. They all seemed silly and insufficient now, and she fell back on cliche.

"What am I going to do without you?" she cried, with a crushing hug.

"You don't need me anymore. You - "

"Don't say a word about Sousa. Everybody has something to say about Sousa," she said with an exasperated sigh. 

"You don't need him, either," Coulson said gently. "I was going to say you should be proud of yourself. I know I am." He stepped back from the hug, doffed a dark pair of sunglasses, and started to slide into the car. "But I do hope you two crazy kids make it work."

And then he was gone.

Daisy stood with tears in her eyes, watching the car fade into traffic and disappear.

Later, when she'd collected herself, she decided to listen to Coulson's parting words, and take a risk

****

Daniel made his way to the basement gym to work out a few issues with a punching bag. Archives had briefed him on the rise and (supposed) fall of Hydra since ‘55. Daisy had once given him the highlights. Now he knew all the gory details about what his failure cost S.H.I.E.L.D. - and Daisy. He hadn’t meant to pry into her history with Hydra, but the agent from Archives covered Hive, and that meant Daniel now had a name and a face to put to Daisy’s loss: Lincoln Campbell. Now, he was curious about Lincoln, anxious about discussing things with Daisy, and furious about Hydra.

As he entered the gym, Daisy and May were walking off the mat, sweating and bantering.

May offered a few comments on Daisy’s technique, and recommendations for getting back into fighting form. "But it's good to see you've recovered," she said briefly before leaving Daniel and Daisy alone.

_Recovered?_ He knew that this morning had been Daisy's last appointment at Medical. And she hadn't needed the wheelchair for the last two visits. _But she_ died _out there in space. A_ week _ago._

He watched her at the punching bag. _21st century medicine. Huh._

He'd promised Daisy that he would help her through her recovery. They hadn't talked about what would come next. 

Once, in the past, he'd avoided a conversation like this. When he still loved Peggy, he let the three-hour time difference between them become… more. He wouldn't make the same mistake with Daisy.

****

S.W.O.R.D. file in hand, Daisy took a deep breath, marched into the kitchen where Daniel was on cleanup duty, and thrust the file at him unceremoniously. 

"What's this?" he said, brow furrowed as he dried his hands and took the folder.

"My next mission. I need a new team. You in?" Her heart raced with anxiety. _He'll say yes. He always says yes. Please say yes._

His eyes went wide and his mouth opened agape as he looked back and forth between the file and Daisy. "Space? With you? Daisy, I - " 

He didn't seem able to finish his sentence, but from the look in his eyes, the answer was blissfully clear. Adrenaline and relief flooded Daisy. The rush passed, and she felt embarrassed that she'd doubted the outcome. 

He leaned back a little and tempered his expression. "Daisy, are you asking me to go _with_ you, or on the team?"

She didn't let herself doubt why he was asking.

" _With_ me, you dork," she clarified, punching his arm.

He leaned in to kiss her, soft and slow, resting a hand on her cheek. "Space," he repeated with wonder.

Abruptly aware that anyone could walk in, Daisy gestured at the door. "Maybe we should - "

"Yep," he said with a nod, and they made their way into her unit's small living area.

Once inside, they sat on the couch, and Daisy noticed Daniel's expression had become introspective.

"Hey, you okay?' she asked, reaching an arm around his waist. "You've been out of it today."

"I'm fine," he assured her, dropping a hand casually on her knee. "But there was something I wanted to talk to you about, too. Less exciting. And you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." 

Daisy pulled her arm back and turned towards him, pulling her legs up to sit cross-legged and wait.

"Archives briefed me on Hydra today." Daniel hesitated, working up to something. Daisy could guess what. "I learned about what happened with Hive - and Lincoln. You know, I gathered that you probably lost someone to Hydra. And I wanted to ask, because he’s a part of you. I didn’t - don’t - want to pry. But would you tell me about him? If you're comfortable with it, I mean?" 

Daisy studied him - she couldn't entirely understand why he was asking about Lincoln. If he weren't _him_ , she'd wonder if he was jealous of a memory. _Maybe he's a little insecure, after Agent Carter?_ she surmised, even though he'd told her that wasn't what had ended their relationship. But Daisy herself had been insecure about asking him to join her team, after all. He wasn't pressing for an answer, though, and he wasn't pinning anything in particular on what she said. Just inviting her to share a part of herself.

So she did.

She told Daniel about Lincoln, and how he hadn't just died to save the world, but to take her place. And how his death wrecked her, because they were everything to each other when Afterlife had let them both down. 

And she told him more - about foster care and why finding Afterlife had been so important to her. About the holes in her life that Jaiyang and Lincoln had filled, and then left again after their deaths. 

And she shared how she healed, too - with the team at her side, and always another mission to keep her going.

He listened intently, prompting with questions here and there, but never pushing. 

When she finished, he rested a hand on hers with a light squeeze, and stated the obvious: "You've been through a lot." It was a simple statement of acceptance, and completely in character for him, but it stunned her nonetheless. He accepted everything from her - the mess of her past, a step into the future. 

Just like in the time loops, Daisy couldn't quite figure him out. Why did he accept everything about her so readily? Why did he care to dive into her past when he could just… be dazzled by a girlfriend with superpowers whisking him off to space? 

She'd asked him a question in the time storm, when there were no consequences. That day, she could ask, and he wouldn't remember. Here, they'd both have to live with his answer.

"Why do you care? Be honest." 

"Honest?" He leaned in towards her, and looked up at her with soulful eyes. "Because I love you."

_Oh_. The word sat on her lips, unspoken but easily seen. Her eyes danced as he continued.

"I knew lots of people who lost loved ones in the war. They didn't always want to risk trying again. And I get that. It's a hell of a risk, when you know what loss feels like." He paused and sat back, looking down before continuing. He looked at her again, heart in his eyes. "I understand - completely - if you don't want to take that risk. But I want you to know I'm here if y - "

Daisy surged towards him, relieving them both of their suspense. They fell into the kiss, for the first time free of any doubt or fear. They clung to each other and lingered in the moment, until Daisy felt a tidal pull drawing her to more. She broke away slowly, knowing there was still more to say.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" she asked, licking her lips and grinning.

Daniel looked at her, and she could see the gears turning in his head. 

"Can I ask a question?" He actually waited for her response. She nodded. "You've known me for what, two weeks? Three? I mean, I know I'm devilishly handsome," he joked with a smirk before continuing seriously, "But why ask me to be on your team? This - " he brushed his hand down her arm, "us - it's fantastic, Daisy. But why take the risk, after everything you've been through?"

"Fitz and Simmons have been the most constant, sure thing in my entire life," Daisy started.

"Not an answer I expected, but go ahead," Daniel interrupted.

"I know. And shut up." She poked him. "They have this epic romance where they've crossed space and time for each other. Nothing keeps them apart, not alternate evil realities or aliens or anything. He opened a portal to another planet to rescue her. He put himself in a status pod for like 90 years in space to be with her. And then died in the future, and she hunted him down in the present and… Anyway. Seriously, they have the worst luck."

"So, your big romantic speech is… to tell me how much you love Simmons and Fitz?" Sousa joked, but she could tell he was confused. "Because I knew that already."

She ignored him. "But at the heart of it, they're just these two kids from the academy who speak the same language and would do anything for each other. It's simple." 

"Technically, I crossed space and time for you," he pointed out.

" _I know,_ " Daisy replied.

"Less of it," he said, squinting as he calculated.

"And you _always_ help me. Every single time." She gave him an appraising look. "And you're easy on the eyes. And I like seeing you when I wake up." Daisy reached around his neck and brushed her fingers into his hair. "It's simple." She tugged him towards her, and they rested their foreheads together.

"Simple," he repeated, a small smile growing at the corner of his mouth. "And that's a good thing."

"It's the only kind of love worth the risk, Danny boy."

He pulled back with a mocking tilt to his head. "So, I'm sorry, you're telling me you love me," he started out confident and comical, but hesitated. "Wait, you are saying you love me, right?"

"Yes," she huffed out with a laugh.

"And you _still_ won't call me Daniel?" He looked adorably annoyed. 

"Mmm, not now, no," she purred.

He raised an eyebrow, and reached over to draw her into his lap. 

"When?" he asked.

"Later," she promised.

They kissed again, tangled in each other's arms.

"Daisy?" he said, drawing back several breathless moments later.

"Mmm?"

"It's getting late."

She waited for him to continue. They hadn't really gotten around to comparing the sexual etiquette of their respective decades. But she didn't think -

"Do you want me to stay?" he asked.

"Not if you're planning on sleeping in the chair again," she advised. He grinned, and she melted.

When Daisy woke up the next morning, Daniel was asleep next to her, right where he belonged


	18. Epilogue: One Year Later

"They good?" Daniel asked, looking up from his book.

"They're good," she said with a smile. Still...

Daisy had been right last year, when she spoke with Mack in the Quinjet. Things weren't the same anymore. The team was scattered across the galaxy, everyone on their own paths. She could feel that distance, even in their gathering in the Framework. 

Kora's voice floated to them from the cockpit. "Hey, you have to see this. Amazing, right?"

Daniel set his book aside, and they made their way over to her.

Mack had been right, too. It was okay. Those separate paths they were all taking - they suited everyone. And they were all still there for each other, just in different ways.

Daisy had gone to S.H.I.E.L.D. in search of her family. Ultimately, she'd found two. First, the team that raised her, in their own way, and sent her off on her own. Now, her family included Kora and Daniel. Kora could be a brat, but she was her sister, and weren't little sisters all like that? (Although Kora frequently tried to argue, inaccurately, that she was older.) Some day, she knew Kora might go off on her own, too. But they would always be sisters.

"It's beautiful," Daisy agreed, looking out at the scarlet splash of the nebula before them.

And Daniel? She reached an arm around his waist. Some kinds of family aren't meant to grow apart. With him, Daisy didn't have to cling to a present, afraid of what might change. She could look to their future on this journey together, and know they'd always be there for each other, without fail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming along this ride with me! This was a blast to write, and so much fun to share with you. And a final big thank you to my awesome beta, royalmilktea, for catching my mistakes and lending a little extra shine.
> 
> I'm going to add this story to a collection, and I'll be back with little one shots set in the same continuity. If there's anything particular you'd like to see, I'm open to ideas!


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